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An anti-corruption watchdog had raised concerns over irregularities in the construction of a Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed during a 7.7 magnitude earthquake last week, killing at least 11 people, Reuters reported on Sunday, quoting the head of the organisation. The tragedy has raised questions about construction delays, safety standards, and the use of subpar materials in the building’s development.
The building, an unfinished 30-storey tower for the State Audit Office of Thailand, was still under construction when it crumbled during the earthquake, which struck central Myanmar on Friday and was felt across neighbouring countries. Rescuers are still searching for over 70 individuals feared trapped under the debris of the structure, which was the only building in Bangkok to completely collapse during the seismic event.
Concerns Raised Over Delays and Safety Standards
Mana Nimitmongkol, president of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand, told Reuters that his group had flagged issues with the tower’s construction during their site visits, including worker shortages, delays, and potential corner-cutting. Mana said that the number of workers on-site at times was significantly lower than required, which contributed to delays in the construction schedule.
The construction delay was so severe that the audit office had threatened to cancel the contract with the construction companies in January, Mana reportedly said, adding that there was concern about a rush to complete the project towards the end, which may have compromised the quality of the work.
According to the report, the tower was originally slated for completion by 2026 but was “only 30% completed” when it collapsed. The building was being constructed by a joint venture between Italian Thai Development PCL (ITD) and China Railway Group’s local subsidiary, China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd.
Investigation into Causes of Collapse
Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered government agencies to investigate the root causes of the tragedy within one week. The Thai government is reportedly examining several factors, including the construction plan, the materials used, and whether any unsafe actions were taken during the building process.
Suggesting that one of the key areas of concern has been the use of potentially substandard steel, Thai Industry Minister Akanat Promphan told Reuters that his team was collecting samples from the rubble to test the material. Preliminary results are expected by Monday afternoon. Akanat also noted that the ministry had been cracking down on sub-standard steel manufacturers in recent months, closing down seven factories and seizing assets worth approximately 360 million baht ($10 million).
The minister also reportedly raised concerns that some of the steel used in construction might have been sourced from older factories with outdated equipment relocated from China, leading to lower-quality materials.
Suspicion of Poor Planning and Unsafe Materials
The collapse has raised alarms among experts who are assisting the Thai government in surveying buildings across Bangkok for earthquake damage. Anek Siripanichgorn, a board member of the Council of Engineers Thailand, told the news agency it was unusual for no other buildings to suffer similar damage during the quake. “It is strange that no other buildings suffered like this,” Anek reportedly said, noting that even other tall buildings under construction in the area remained intact.
While the official investigation continues, experts suspect that a combination of poor planning and the use of unsafe materials could have contributed to the building’s collapse.
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