ANI
20 Apr 2025, 20:47 GMT+10
Bangkok (Thailand), April 20 (ANI): Authorities in Thailand have arrested a Chinese executive of the construction company responsible for building an office building in Bangkok that collapsed during the March 28 earthquake, killing dozens of people, according to local media reports.
Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI) took into custody Zhang Chuanling, a Chinese national, on Saturday. He is one of four people wanted on arrest warrants for allegedly acting as nominees for the Thai-owned subsidiary of a Chinese construction firm, the Bangkok Post reported.
The firm was building the 30-storey State Audit Office headquarters in Chatuchak district of Bangkok, which collapsed after an earthquake of magnitude that struck central Myanmar on March 28.
A search is ongoing for the other three suspects, who are all Thai nationals, the report in the Bangkok Post added.
On Saturday, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration said there were 103 victims from the collapse. Of them, nine were injured, 47 were confirmed dead, and 47 remain missing.
As per a report in the Thai news outlet, The Nation, preliminary findings by of a joint investigation by the DSI and the Royal Thai Police. have revealed that three Thai nationals were used as proxy shareholders on behalf of foreign interests, violating Thailand's Foreign Business Act.
'Financial records uncovered transactions exceeding 2 billion baht linked to loans involving Chinese executives. These financial arrangements paved the way for China Railway No.10 (Thailand) to secure a government contract via a joint venture, raising suspicions of illicit bidding practices,' as per the report in The Nation.
China Railway No.10 was part of a joint venture with an Italian-Thai firm to build the State Audit Office tower before its collapse.
As per local media reports, officials are examining whether construction materials--specifically steel and cement--met industrial standards under the Industrial Product Standards Act. Investigators are reviewing design documents, project supervision records, and nine rounds of design modifications, some of which may involve forged signatures from engineers and supervisors. (ANI)
Get a daily dose of Malaysia Sun news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Malaysia Sun.
More InformationHANOI, Vietnam: During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Hanoi this week, China and Vietnam agreed to take the first steps toward...
JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesia is preparing a high-level visit to Washington with an ambitious offer to avert steep U.S. tariffs on...
Karachi [Pakistan], April 20 (ANI): Islamabad United and Australian all-rounder Matthew Short has been ruled out for the remainder...
New Delhi [India], April 20 (ANI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will have a series of meetings during her visit to the United...
Karachi [Pakistan], April 20 (ANI): Karachi is likely to experience a heatwave, beginning from Sunday with temperatures during the...
Bangkok (Thailand), April 20 (ANI): Authorities in Thailand have arrested a Chinese executive of the construction company responsible...
Lyft is making its first move into Europe with the purchase of mobility platform FreeNow, a nearly $200 million deal that signals a...
NEW DELHI - India is preparing to scrap import taxes on U.S. ethane and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as part of ongoing trade negotiations...
TOKYO, Japan: Facing the pressure of new U.S. tariffs, Honda is weighing a shift in its production strategy that could see more of...
BEIJING, China: China will raise battery safety standards for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, aiming to tackle fire and explosion...
HANOI, Vietnam: During Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Hanoi this week, China and Vietnam agreed to take the first steps toward...
FORT WORTH, Texas: American Airlines will begin offering free high-speed Wi-Fi to passengers in January 2026, joining a growing list...