Bangkok Tower Collapse: Watchdog Warned of Sub-Standard Steel

[webfact]

Rescuers work at the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March, 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

 

In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, a Bangkok skyscraper has tragically collapsed, claiming at least 11 lives. An anti-corruption watchdog had previously highlighted irregularities in its construction. The Thai government swiftly launched a probe into whether sub-standard materials, particularly steel, were used.

 

Last week's 7.7 magnitude quake, centred in Myanmar, shook neighbouring countries, with the skyscraper, designed for Thailand's State Audit Office, being the sole casualty in Bangkok. Rescuers are urgently searching for 76 individuals feared trapped under the debris of the unfinished 30-storey structure, whose construction began in 2020.

 

The project, a collaboration between Italian Thai Development PCL and China's China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, faced serious delays. It was originally due for completion by 2026 but was only 30% complete.

 

The watchdog's site inspections during its construction flagged potential corner-cutting, worker shortages, and severe delays, leading the government to consider canceling the contract earlier this year.

 

Finance Minister Akanat Promphan, overseeing the investigation, raised concerns about possible use of sub-standard steel, a suspicion currently under scrutiny.

 

An extensive examination of materials is underway, with initial results expected shortly. In a recent crackdown, the ministry shut down seven steel factories, seizing assets worth approximately 360 million baht.

 

China's Ambassador to Thailand affirmed China's cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, experts from Thailand's council of engineers speculated that the disaster might be due to either poor material quality or inadequate planning.

 

The collapse notably contrasts with the stability of other structures in the region, highlighting a significant mystery. The official inquiry into the incident's root cause is expected to deliver findings within a week, as authorities work urgently to understand this architectural tragedy.

 

Based on a story by Bangkok Post

 

-- 2025-04-01

 

 

[henryford1958]

So they knew the materials were dangerously sub standard but let the construction continue !!

[tomazbodner]

9 minutes ago, henryford1958 said:

So they knew the materials were dangerously sub standard but let the construction continue !!

That's what happens when someone only has a power to warn but not do anything. Like a toothless dog. Can bark but can't bite...

[Tropicalevo]

No mention of the four Chinese guys who were seen removing documents from the offices at the site.

[Geoffggi]

1 minute ago, Tropicalevo said:

No mention of the four Chinese guys who were seen removing documents from the offices at the site.

 

Good point, it would be interesting to know what is contained in those documents & how incriminating they really are, unfortunately the Chinese are involved & everyone knows how reluctant Thailand is to upset China therefore will the truth ever be known ............ 

[tomazbodner]

I wonder if state auditors would be auditing the paperwork of the company that was working on their own building...

[MikeandDow]

38 minutes ago, henryford1958 said:

So they knew the materials were dangerously sub standard but let the construction continue !!

 To be fair they only found out recently that the steel was substandard  the building was structuraly complete april 2024  This company employed by the joint venture should have reported the material used as substandard but guess what !!   Supervision: Contracted to PKW Joint Venture for 74.65 million baht ($2.2 million) to supervise and certify material quality testing

[MikeandDow]

35 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

That's what happens when someone only has a power to warn but not do anything. Like a toothless dog. Can bark but can't bite...

That is one of the reason Third party inspections should be carried out !! but the big problem is Thais are submissive to authority,  loss of face syndrome

[scorecard]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Rescuers work at the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March, 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

 

In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, a Bangkok skyscraper has tragically collapsed, claiming at least 11 lives. An anti-corruption watchdog had previously highlighted irregularities in its construction. The Thai government swiftly launched a probe into whether sub-standard materials, particularly steel, were used.

 

Last week's 7.7 magnitude quake, centred in Myanmar, shook neighbouring countries, with the skyscraper, designed for Thailand's State Audit Office, being the sole casualty in Bangkok. Rescuers are urgently searching for 76 individuals feared trapped under the debris of the unfinished 30-storey structure, whose construction began in 2020.

 

The project, a collaboration between Italian Thai Development PCL and China's China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, faced serious delays. It was originally due for completion by 2026 but was only 30% complete.

 

The watchdog's site inspections during its construction flagged potential corner-cutting, worker shortages, and severe delays, leading the government to consider canceling the contract earlier this year.

 

Finance Minister Akanat Promphan, overseeing the investigation, raised concerns about possible use of sub-standard steel, a suspicion currently under scrutiny.

 

An extensive examination of materials is underway, with initial results expected shortly. In a recent crackdown, the ministry shut down seven steel factories, seizing assets worth approximately 360 million baht.

 

China's Ambassador to Thailand affirmed China's cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, experts from Thailand's council of engineers speculated that the disaster might be due to either poor material quality or inadequate planning.

 

The collapse notably contrasts with the stability of other structures in the region, highlighting a significant mystery. The official inquiry into the incident's root cause is expected to deliver findings within a week, as authorities work urgently to understand this architectural tragedy.

 

Based on a story by Bangkok Post

 

-- 2025-04-01

 

 

More: Just after the event In a media interview she sated that it was impossible for the building to have come down from an earthquake because all buildings in Thailand are designed and build to be earthquake proof. 

[mfd101]

Designed as a lesson for budding young auditors in how not to carry out audits.

[jojothai]

4 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

That is one of the reason Third party inspections should be carried out !! but the big problem is Thais are submissive to authority,  loss of face syndrome

There was a third party paid to supervise the work. But when there are extremely long delays in construction here (as there was) they rarely get paid any extra for the extension and cut the supervision work to the bare minimum. So this could possibly be part of any problem found in the supervision work.
If there are problems found with construction / materials, on the other hand hazard a guess that its possibly down to brown envelopes rather than anything to do with loss of face.

[jojothai]

5 minutes ago, scorecard said:

More: Just after the event In a media interview she sated that it was impossible for the building to have come down from an earthquake because all buildings in Thailand are designed and build to be earthquake proof. 

[Lacessit]

IME it is very rare to find builders who do not cut corners. That's why engineers usually put in safety margins.

[Russell17au]

Check the strength of the concrete. The workers are Thai's and not Chinese and the Thai's are notorious for adding too much water to the concrete so that it will level itself without them putting much work into it thus weakening the concrete

[CLW]

19 minutes ago, Russell17au said:

Check the strength of the concrete. The workers are Thai's and not Chinese and the Thai's are notorious for adding too much water to the concrete so that it will level itself without them putting much work into it thus weakening the concrete

Very unlikely in this case it has something to do with the concrete. Building sites like this size have their own concrete mixing plant on site and keep records and cube samples of every batch of mixed concrete. 

I pretty much suspect substandard steel and wrong bending of the rebar led to the collapse 

[Rimmer]

If anyone is interested there is a live feed of the search and recovery on youtube.

Link only for your use please do not put it up as a stream on here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH7xhj0Wdmo

 

[Kinok Farang]

Re-bar or structural stanchions and girders?

[ChrisY1]

9 hours ago, henryford1958 said:

So they knew the materials were dangerously sub standard but let the construction continue !!

Did they...are you sure? Ass covering in progress! If they were concerned....the rebar would have been tested....IMO, they either took the money...or turned the other way...the Thai way!

[dinsdale]

8 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

 

Good point, it would be interesting to know what is contained in those documents & how incriminating they really are, unfortunately the Chinese are involved & everyone knows how reluctant Thailand is to upset China therefore will the truth ever be known ............ 

The Chinese blokes were apprehended. I would imagine the documents are in Thai hands. Probably been or being scrutinised. What will be found and what will be released is another thing.

[ExpatOilWorker]

[TheFishman1]

I once bought some Chinese tires and they were very inexpensive less than a month I had to replace all four of them with Michelin go figure quality of Chinese some products are not that well TIT

[trainman34014]

7 hours ago, scorecard said:

More: Just after the event In a media interview she sated that it was impossible for the building to have come down from an earthquake because all buildings in Thailand are designed and build to be earthquake proof. 

And if you believe that you will believe anything !

[NoDisplayName]

13 hours ago, henryford1958 said:

So they knew the materials were dangerously sub standard but let the construction continue !!

 

That was the poorly-translated headline.  That's not what was said in the article.

 

13 hours ago, webfact said:

Finance Minister Akanat Promphan, overseeing the investigation, raised concerns about possible use of sub-standard steel, a suspicion currently under scrutiny.

 

Some dude in a suit said a thing.  Suspicions.  Looking into it.

 

What did the watchdog say?

 

13 hours ago, webfact said:

The watchdog's site inspections during its construction flagged potential corner-cutting, worker shortages, and severe delays, leading the government to consider canceling the contract earlier this year.

 

What exactly is "potential corner-cutting"?  Potential, or proven, and in what area?  If they had found sub-standard steel being used, they probably would have mentioned that.

[Colki]

CLW while I do not question your theory am very sure in video of disaster there was a 'concrete truck' waiting to unload. Maybe was for pathways or ?

[Liverpool Lou]

14 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

 

Good point, it would be interesting to know what is contained in those documents & how incriminating they really are, unfortunately the Chinese are involved & everyone knows how reluctant Thailand is to upset China therefore will the truth ever be known ............ 

Thai authorities apprehended the four men and have all the documents they were trying to purloin.

[Liverpool Lou]

4 hours ago, TheFishman1 said:

I once bought some Chinese tires and they were very inexpensive less than a month I had to replace all four of them with Michelin go figure quality of Chinese some products are not that well TIT

Some Michelin tyres are made in China!

[NoDisplayName]

And now it is confirmed.

 

Both samples originated from the same company, which had previously been ordered to cease production by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute in December.

 

Steel samples fail tests after building collapse in Thailand

https://thethaiger.com/news/bangkok/steel-samples-fail-tests-after-building-collapse-in-thailand

 

The Industry Ministry sent 28 steel pieces from the wreckage to the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand for inspection, categorised into seven samples: 32mm, 25mm, 20mm, 16mm, and 12mm deformed steel bars, wire ropes, and steel bars.

The inspection took more than six hours and found that two samples were substandard, coming from the same company whose factory in Rayong province was ordered to close in December last year, according to the ministry’s working team.

 

Two substandard steel samples linked to collapsed Bangkok building

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40048162

 

However, she noted that these samples are not sufficient to conclude that they were responsible for the building collapse. The Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) will collect more samples and inspect the factory to determine whether it has illegally produced or transported steel.

[safarimike11]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Rescuers work at the site of an under-construction high-rise building that collapsed after an earthquake in Bangkok, Thailand, Monday, March, 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

 

In the aftermath of a devastating earthquake, a Bangkok skyscraper has tragically collapsed, claiming at least 11 lives. An anti-corruption watchdog had previously highlighted irregularities in its construction. The Thai government swiftly launched a probe into whether sub-standard materials, particularly steel, were used.

 

Last week's 7.7 magnitude quake, centred in Myanmar, shook neighbouring countries, with the skyscraper, designed for Thailand's State Audit Office, being the sole casualty in Bangkok. Rescuers are urgently searching for 76 individuals feared trapped under the debris of the unfinished 30-storey structure, whose construction began in 2020.

 

The project, a collaboration between Italian Thai Development PCL and China's China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd, faced serious delays. It was originally due for completion by 2026 but was only 30% complete.

 

The watchdog's site inspections during its construction flagged potential corner-cutting, worker shortages, and severe delays, leading the government to consider canceling the contract earlier this year.

 

Finance Minister Akanat Promphan, overseeing the investigation, raised concerns about possible use of sub-standard steel, a suspicion currently under scrutiny.

 

An extensive examination of materials is underway, with initial results expected shortly. In a recent crackdown, the ministry shut down seven steel factories, seizing assets worth approximately 360 million baht.

 

China's Ambassador to Thailand affirmed China's cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, experts from Thailand's council of engineers speculated that the disaster might be due to either poor material quality or inadequate planning.

 

The collapse notably contrasts with the stability of other structures in the region, highlighting a significant mystery. The official inquiry into the incident's root cause is expected to deliver findings within a week, as authorities work urgently to understand this architectural tragedy.

 

Based on a story by Bangkok Post

 

-- 2025-04-01

 

 

 

[safarimike11]

1 minute ago, safarimike11 said:

 

Thai official sees "something suspicious" in quake toppling Bangkok tower (Third picture down).

[safarimike11]

Just now, safarimike11 said:

Thai official sees "something suspicious" in quake toppling Bangkok tower (Third picture down).

https://www.yahoo.com/news.thai-official sees "something suspicious" in quake toppling Bangkok tower