An anti-corruption watchdog has highlighted irregularities linked to the construction of a Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed during an earthquake last week, resulting in the death of at least 11 individuals, according to the head of the monitoring organization.
The government had previously threatened to terminate the project earlier this year due to delays, stated Mana Nimitmongkol, president of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand.
In response to the tower’s collapse— which was being built by a collaboration between a Chinese company and a well-established Thai construction firm— the government has initiated an investigation into the cause.
As of today, rescuers are intensively searching for 76 additional individuals who are feared to be trapped beneath the debris of the unfinished 30-storey structure intended for Thailand’s State Audit Office.
The construction of the building, which commenced in 2020, is being executed by a joint venture involving Italian Thai Development PCL and a local branch of China Railway Group, specifically China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd.
When approached by Reuters, neither Italian Thai Development nor China Railway Group provided immediate comments.
The audit office has indicated that it will be investigating the reasons behind the building’s collapse, but it did not respond to emailed queries from Reuters regarding whether it had previously threatened to revoke the construction contract.
The tower was initially expected to be completed by 2026, but it was already behind schedule. The deputy auditor general, Sutthipong Boonnithi, informed reporters on Saturday that construction was merely “30% completed” at the time of its collapse.
Site inspections conducted during the construction by the anti-corruption organization raised alarms about delays, labor shortages, and potential cost-cutting measures, according to Mr. Mana.
Rescue workers engage in a search-and-rescue operation at the site of the collapsed skyscraper
“At times, the workforce present on site was significantly less than required, leading to delays,” he remarked. “There is a likelihood that there was an expedited push to finalize the project towards the end, which may have compromised the quality of work.”
Mr. Mana, whose organization reviews approximately 170 government projects nationwide, noted that the construction delays were so extensive that the audit office threatened to revoke the contract with the two construction firms in January.
On today’s market opening, shares of ITD plummeted 30%, in contrast to a general market decline of 1%.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has mandated that government agencies investigate the fundamental causes of the building collapse within one week.
The official investigation is examining the construction plans, the quality of materials used, and any potentially unsafe practices that may have occurred during the building’s construction.
Han Zhinqiang, China’s ambassador to Thailand, stated yesterday that China is willing to collaborate on the investigation.
