Probe against Chinese firm after Bangkok skyscraper collapsed in earthquake

Thai authorities have launched an investigation into a Chinese-backed construction firm following the catastrophic collapse of a 33-storey high-rise in Bangkok during Friday's 7.7-magnitude earthquake in central Myanmar. The under-construction skyscrapper crumbled in seconds, sending debris flying and trapping dozens beneath the rubble.

By Sunday, officials confirmed 17 deaths due to building collapse, with 32 injured and 83 still missing — most of them construction workers, according to news agency AFP.

While Bangkok's skyline is filled with several high-rise developments, no other structures sustained similar damage during the earthquake. The collapse has raised urgent concerns about the building’s structural integrity. The project, commissioned by Thailand's State Audit Office (SAO), had been under construction for three years at a cost exceeding two billion baht (45 million pounds).

Meanwhile, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who visited the site a day after it collapsed, said that the government will launch a rapid investigation to better understand the disaster. "I'm appointing the investigating committee. I've given them seven days to report back as to what’s going on and what caused the falling down," The Telegraph quoted Charnvirakul as saying.

Notably, four Chinese nationals were arrested for unlawfully removing 32 documents from the collapsed building without permission. The Governor of Bangkok has declared the site a disaster zone, restricting access to authorised personnel only.

According to The Telegraph, the SAO building was developed through a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., a subsidiary of China Railway Number 10 Engineering Group Company. The Chinese firm holds a 49 per cent stake, the maximum foreign ownership permitted under Thai law.

China Railway Number 10 Thailand, founded in 2018, has been engaged as a contractor for major infrastructure projects, including office buildings, railways, and public roads, according to the report. In 2023, the company recorded a net loss of 199.66 million baht, with revenue of 206.25 million baht against expenses totalling 354.95 million bahat.

The earthquake's impact extended beyond Bangkok, ravaging Myanmar, where the death toll has surpassed 1,600, with thousands more injured. Originating northwest of Sagaing, the tremors flattened buildings and crippled infrastructure across Mandalay, one of the country's largest cities.

The country has declared a state of emergency across six regions, and hospitals are overwhelmed with casualties.

India has sent relief materials, rescue teams and medical equipment in five military aircraft to Myanmar to help those affected by the earthquake.

New Delhi dispatched relief materials, medicines, an 80-member search and rescue team from the Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and military field hospitals to Myanmar in three C-130J and two C-17 Globemaster aircraft.