News
Substandard steel found in Bangkok building that collapsed during earthquake
The steel came from a Chinese-run factory that was closed in December 2024.
April 02, 2025, 11:34 AM
Substandard steel has been found in the State Audit building which collapsed in Bangkok following the earthquake that struck Myanmar on Mar. 28.
According to Thai media, 28 pieces of steel were taken from the wreckage by a team from Thailand's Industry Ministry and sent to the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand for inspection.
Steel samples came from a factory that was ordered to close
Two of the samples were found to be of substandard quality and came from a factory that was ordered to close in Dec. 2024 due to an accident involving a gas leak.
Over 2,400 tonnes of steel were also seized from the factory.
The factory is owned by a Chinese company, Xin Ke Yuan Steel.
The chief of the Industry Ministry team pointed out that two samples alone are not enough to conclude that they were responsible for the collapse, the Thai Industrial Standards Institute will collect more samples, and also check the closed factory to see if it has violated the shutdown order.
The seized steel will also be inspected.
Chinese companies in the spotlight following collapse
Xin Ke Yuan Steel is not the first mainland Chinese company to come under the spotlight as a result of the building's collapse, however.
The building itself is a joint venture between a Thai company called Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and another mainland Chinese company called China Railway Number 10.
Thailand's Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has since ordered investigations into all construction projects awarded to China Railway Number 10.
She said the collapsed building had cost lives and affected Thailand's image negatively.
Other projects under China Railway Number 10 include the construction of a building for the Office of National Water Resources and some sections of the Bangkok-Nong Khai high-speed railway project.
Shinawatra said, "All buildings in Bangkok must meet legal standards. Safety must be the top priority."
The State Audit building is the only building to have collapsed in Bangkok, following the earthquake in Myanmar.
Top images from Facebook and Khaosod
