The Thai government is investigating whether inferior steel played a role in the collapse of the State Audit Office (SAO) building, which failed during last Friday’s earthquake, killing at least 15 people and leaving many more unaccounted for.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said that ongoing inquiries had identified steel quality as a significant concern, prompting inspections by the Ministry of Industry. Of the seven steel samples taken from the site, two—measuring 20mm and 32mm in thickness—were found to be substandard and traced to the same manufacturer. Further examinations are set to continue, with a government-appointed committee including officials from the Department of Public Works and the police assessing structural weaknesses based on the contractor’s blueprints.
Industry Minister Akanat Promphan confirmed that the investigation would focus on pinpointing the specific causes of the collapse, examining procurement processes and construction standards. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Corruption and Misconduct Prevention and Suppression will summon the Auditor-General to address concerns over victim compensation and the project’s budget, which exceeded 2 billion baht.
Teerajchai Phunthumas, a member of the opposition People’s Party and deputy chairman of the committee, stated that the Council of Engineers would be consulted to review the building’s materials and technology. Additionally, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Industry will be asked to clarify procurement, design, and material selection.
Approved in 2020, the SAO building was originally slated for completion in 2023 but faced delays of over a year. The collapse has sparked public scrutiny over why a project with such a high budget failed to withstand the earthquake’s impact.
