
Thai-Chinese company denies ignoring safety after quake caused block to collapse
BANGKOK — A Thai-Chinese company has denied allegations its steel rods did not pass safety standard tests after nationwide criticism prompted an investigation into the collapse of a high-rise building under construction after an earthquake last month in Bangkok.
Authorities are probing Xin Ke Yuan Steel and another Chinese contractor involved in the construction to find out why the building crumbled following a quake centered in Myanmar, more than 1,200 kilometers away.
It was the only building in the Thai capital that completely collapsed that day.
The 7.7 magnitude quake on 28 March killed more than 3,700 people in Myanmar, while in Thailand, 47 people lost their lives, mostly at the building collapse site.
The collapse sparked questions about the enforcement of construction safety and the state-run Chinese contractor, China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group, leading to the arrest Saturday of its Chinese executive in Thailand, identified as Zhang, on suspicion of operating the business through the use of nominees.
Foreigners can operate a business in Thailand, but it must be a joint venture with a Thai partner, and they cannot own more than 49% to protect local competitiveness.
Three Thai shareholders of the company are also wanted on suspicion of being the nominees, said officials of the Department of Special Investigation.
They also said they were looking into the quality of the construction material and whether the company illegally fixed its bidding.
The company posted a video online last year advertising the building, meant to be a new office of the State Audit Office, with drone footage and boasting about the quality of the design, construction and management of the project.
Last week, a Thai engineer filed a police complaint saying that his name and signature were forged as a project controller in one of the construction plans. He denied any involvement in the project.
Xin Ke Yuan Steel, also partly owned by Chinese nationals, came under scrutiny over the quality of the steel rods they provided for the buildings.
Its operating license is currently suspended following a fatal fire accident in December at its factory in Rayong province.
Industry Minister Akanat Promphan said two types of steel rods found at the collapse site did not pass safety standards and that Xin Ke Yuan supplied both. He raided the company's factory on 11 April for evidence, saying that samples of the steel products confiscated by authorities following its December suspension have already failed two tests.
The company's legal team disputed the test results in a press conference, stressing that all of their products had passed safety tests and that they were being treated unfairly by authorities.
However, they declined to comment when asked specifically about the test results of the company's steel rods found at the collapse site.
Earlier this month, the Revenue Department filed a complaint accusing Xin Ke Yuan of issuing over 7,000 false tax invoices. The company's lawyers on Monday denied any wrongdoing.
The search for the 47 missing workers is still ongoing, Thai authorities say. — Euronews
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Saudi Gazette
2 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Thai hostage recovered from southern Gaza in military operation
JERUSALEM — The body of a Thai hostage, Nattapong Pinta, who was abducted alive during the October 7 attacks was recovered from southern Gaza in a military operation on Friday, according to a statement from the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security service. The announcement comes just days after Israel recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages from Gaza. Pinta, 35, was taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel where he had been working in agriculture, according to an Israeli military official, who said it is estimated that he was killed during the first months of captivity. Pinta was a husband and father working in Israel to support his family in Thailand, the official said. 'We will not rest until all the hostages, living and deceased, are returned home,' Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Pinta was abducted by the Mujahideen, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, a militant group that took part in the Hamas-led attack on Israel. The IDF said it is the same organization that kidnapped the Bibas family and killed Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, the mother and two young sons who became the most prominent among Hamas' captives. Earlier this week, Israel announced that the bodies of Judy Winston-Haggai, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 72, were recovered from southern Gaza. The two were also taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz. The couple had four children and seven retrieval of Pinta's body comes with an intense Israeli operation underway in Gaza, with the Civil Defense reporting at least 38 people were killed in Israeli attacks on IDF said four soldiers were killed and five wounded early Friday morning when an explosive was detonated in a building in Khan Younis in which they were operating, causing part of the structure to collapse.A total of 55 hostages remain in Gaza, including one taken in 2014. Twenty are believed to be still the 251 people taken hostage by Hamas militants on October 7, many were migrant workers from poor rural parts of Asia, who had gone to work in Israel's agricultural, construction and health care sectors to send money back home. — CNN


Saudi Gazette
5 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
How to pre-register for VALORANT Mobile
The ES TIMES — The highly anticipated VALORANT Mobile game is finally nearing launch, and players in select regions can now pre-register for early access. Pre-registration not only keeps you up to date with the latest official updates, but it also increases your chances of being among the first to experience Riot Games' tactical shooter on mobile. Regional Launch and Early Access As with many major mobile game launches, VALORANT Mobile will follow a regional launch strategy. This means that certain regions, starting with China, will receive access first. The first phase of testing has already begun in China, with Tencent-owned Lightspeed Studios handling development there. How to Pre-Register Currently, pre-registration is only available through the official VALORANT Mobile website for China. Players selected for early access will receive an email with download instructions and additional information. For other regions, Riot Games is expected to launch pre-registration via the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in the near future. Although these pages are not yet live, players are advised to follow local stores or Riot's official channels for any updates. Technically, it is possible to access the Chinese version using a VPN or alternative methods, but this is not recommended. Server issues and high ping can lead to a frustrating experience, and the language barrier can hinder understanding important instructions or using some in-game features. Global Release and Rewards After the testing phase in China concludes, access is expected to expand to other regions. As we've become accustomed to Riot Games, pre-registration rewards will be offered, but unlocking them may require completing in-game tasks or reaching certain milestones during the testing periods. As the full release date approaches, players can expect to see the addition of new challenges, missions, and an in-game store filled with exclusive cosmetics and content designed specifically for the mobile platform.


Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Chinese nationals accused of smuggling 'dangerous biological pathogen' into US
WASHINGTON — Two Chinese nationals have been accused of smuggling a fungus into the US that officials describe as a "dangerous biological pathogen". Yunqing Jian, 33, and Zunyong Liu, 34, have been charged with conspiracy, smuggling goods, false statements, and visa fraud, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan announced on Tuesday. The complaint alleges Mr Liu tried to smuggle the fungus through Detroit airport so he could study it at a University of Michigan laboratory where his girlfriend, Ms Jian, worked. The fungus called Fusarium graminearum can cause a disease in wheat, barley, maize and rice that can wipe out crops and lead to vomiting and liver damage if it gets into food. The fungus is described in scientific literature as a "potential agroterrorism weapon", according to the US Attorney's Office, adding it is responsible for "billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide each year." Officials further allege Ms Jian received funding from the Chinese government for her research on the pathogen in China. They also claim she is a member of the Chinese Communist Party. United States Attorney Jerome F Gorgon Jr described the allegations as of the "gravest national security concerns". "These two aliens have been charged with smuggling a fungus that has been described as a 'potential agroterrorism weapon' into in the [sic] heartland of America, where they apparently intended to use a University of Michigan laboratory to further their scheme." The investigation was a joint effort between the FBI and US Customs and Border Protection. Ms Jian is due to appear in court in Detroit, Michigan on Tuesday. The BBC has reached out to the University of Michigan and the Chinese embassy in Washington DC for comment. The charges come amid strained relations between the US and China, and just days after the Trump administration vowed to "aggressively" revoke the visas of Chinese nationals studying in the US. Beijing also said Washington "severely violated" a trade truce reached in Geneva last month, when both countries lowered tariffs on goods imported from each other. Earlier this week, a Chinese student at the University of Michigan was charged for illegally voting in the October 2024 election. — BBC