Latest news with #TaweeSodsong
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
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.
South China Morning Post
20-04-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Chinese executive linked to Bangkok tower collapse arrested
Thai authorities said they have arrested a Chinese executive at a company that was building a Bangkok skyscraper which collapsed in a major earthquake, leaving dozens dead. Advertisement The 30-storey tower was reduced to an immense pile of rubble when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck neighbouring Myanmar last month, killing 47 people at the construction site and leaving another 47 missing. Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong told a news conference on Saturday that a Thai court had issued arrest warrants for four individuals, including three Thai nationals, at China Railway No. 10 for breaching the Foreign Business Act. The Department of Special Investigation, which is under the justice ministry, said in a statement on Saturday that one of the four had been arrested – a Chinese 'company representative' who they named as Zhang. 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. Advertisement Zhang is listed as a 49-per cent shareholder in the firm, while the three Thai citizens have a 51-per cent stake in the company.
