Bangkok: Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, has disclosed significant progress concerning the collapse of the new Office of the Auditor General building. Today marks the deadline for detaining Mr. Chuanling Zhang, who holds a 49 percent stake in China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. Zhang was apprehended on April 19, 2025. Initial accounts suggest that Zhang has already provided some details, which will be analyzed alongside existing information. Today, he will be presented in court for detention.
According to Thai News Agency, the investigation into the building collapse has seen cooperation from the involved Chinese state enterprise. The enterprise has aided Thai authorities by sending experts to simulate the collapse, examining soil weaknesses, and collaborating with investigators, given that the company is entirely owned by the Chinese state. Furthermore, it has been reported that the Chinese government has allocated funds to compensate those deceased and injured in the incident.
Investigators have highlighted concerns regarding the building's elevator shaft. Typically, elevator shaft walls in China measure 60 centimeters in thickness, but the State Audit Office's initial design specified a thickness of merely 30 centimeters, which was further reduced to 25 centimeters. The Chinese government asserts that construction followed the State Audit Office's design, crafted by a Thai designer.
Investigators are committed to verifying all statements with scientific evidence. Additionally, Thai authorities have assembled an engineering team and invited experts for inspection, with plans to possibly introduce a real model for examination today.
The Italian-Thai company involved in the construction will be summoned for questioning. Should it fail to appear this week, officials will pursue further inquiry. Whether executives from the State Audit Office will be questioned depends on the investigators' judgment. Efforts are ongoing to locate Thai nominees who remain at large.
It remains uncertain if the Department of Special Investigation will treat any other offenses related to this incident as a special case. Authorities await police proceedings, which have charged the suspect with negligence causing death, as the DSI and police continue to collaborate on the case.