Thailand arrests Chinese executive linked to Bangkok tower that collapsed during earthquake
Thailand's authorities arrested a Chinese executive linked to the construction company responsible for a high-rise tower that collapsed during the 28 March earthquake in Bangkok, killing at least 47 people.
Zhang Chuanling was detained at a hotel in the capital on Saturday and special investigators sought to extend his detention by 12 days, local media reported.
He is among four individuals wanted for allegedly using Thai nationals as nominee shareholders to conceal Chinese control of China Railway No 10 (Thailand) Co, a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned firm. The company was part of a joint venture with Italian-Thai Development Plc to build the ill-fated 30-storey state Audit Office tower in the Chatuchak district of Bangkok.
According to justice minister Tawee Sodsong, investigators have found credible evidence that the company used the three Thai nationals as proxies to conceal foreign control.
The four men are accused of breaching Thailand's Foreign Business Act, which limits foreign ownership in local companies to 49 per cent, according to Thailand's Department of Special Investigation (DSI).
Mr Zhang is listed as holding a 49 per cent stake in China Railway No. 10 (Thailand), according to Thailand's corporate registry.
On Tuesday, the Bangkok Post reported that three Thai men accused of acting as nominees for the Chinese state-owned construction company involved in the collapsed State Audit Office building were brought before the court. They denied the allegations and were remanded in custody for 12 days to allow further investigation. None of the men sought bail.
Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been under increasing public pressure following the collapse of the 30-storey government building. She has ordered a full investigation into all Thai projects involving China Railway No. 10 (Thailand).
The company is involved in around a dozen other projects across Thailand.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake on 28 March claimed over 3,700 lives in Myanmar. In Thailand, 47 people were killed – most at the site of the building collapse – while another 47 remain missing.
While the project was a joint venture with Thai firm Italian-Thai Development, workers say China Railway 10th was effectively in charge of daily operations.
Meanwhile, on Monday, Thai officials said that steel rods supplied by Xin Ke Yuan Steel, also partly owned by Chinese nationals, failed safety tests, with two types found at the collapse site not meeting standards. The company has denied these allegations, claiming all their products passed inspections and that they are being treated unfairly, though they declined to address the specific failed rods.
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