A 33-storey under-construction skyscraper in Bangkok, Thailand, collapsed following the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday, leaving eight people dead. The building, which was to serve as the headquarters of Thailand’s State Audit Office (SAO), had been under construction for three years at a cost of over 2 billion Thai baht ($58 million).
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited the site and ordered a thorough investigation into the cause of the collapse. Experts have raised concerns over possible structural flaws, as other high-rises in the city remained intact. Civil engineer Prof. Suchatchavee Suwansawas stated that either design or construction errors played a role, though it is too early to confirm.
The collapsed building was a joint project between Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., a subsidiary of China Railway Number 10 Engineer Group Company. The Chinese firm held a 49% stake in the venture, the maximum allowed for foreign entities in Thailand. Authorities are now focusing on whether poor construction, weak materials, or the impact of the earthquake contributed to the disaster.
