37 C
Vientiane
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
spot_img

Chinese Executive Arrested in Bangkok Building Collapse Scandal

This Week

Thai authorities have arrested Zhang Chuanling, an executive of China Railway No.10 Engineering Group, a subsidiary of China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), as part of a widening investigation into the collapse of a 30-storey building in Bangkok. 

The incident followed a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and was felt across Thailand on 28 March.

Zhang, a Chinese national, was taken into custody on 19 April. He currently faces charges for operating a construction business illegally as a foreigner and conspiring to use nominee shareholders, according to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI). 

The Criminal Court has approved a 12-day detention order for Zhang, marking the initial period of legal custody, the Standard reported.

As CREC owns a 49 percent stake in the joint venture responsible for the project, the remaining 51 percent ownership is distributed among three Thai nationals. The men, Manas Srianan, Prachuap Sirikhet, and Sophon Meechai, surrendered to authorities on 21 April following Zhang’s arrest. 

All three are alleged to be nominee shareholders and are charged with violating the Foreign Business Act, which prohibits foreign ownership in certain sectors. They have denied all allegations. 

The collapsed building was part of a project by the Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD)-CREC Joint Venture. The structure, once completed, was intended to serve as the new headquarters for the Thai State Audit Office.

Although the 28-March earthquake epicenter was located hundreds of kilometers away, the Bangkok high-rise was the only major structure in the capital to suffer a complete collapse, raising serious questions about construction standards and regulatory oversight.

Latest article