Thai authorities have made their first arrest of individuals involved in the collapse of the Bangkok Audit Office building. The director of China Railway 10th Bureau (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has been detained, as the company is suspected of operating in Thailand using nominal shareholders and colluding to bid on engineering contracts. Meanwhile, rescue teams are still searching for the missing at the collapse site.
According to Thai media Khaosod, officers from the Thailand Department of Special Investigation (DSI) arrested Zhang Chuanling (phonetic transcription), the director of China Railway 10th Bureau Thailand Company, on April 19 at a hotel in Bangkok. During the investigation, he requested the provision of translation and legal representation.
The report stated that investigators are focusing on allegations that China Railway 10th Bureau operated in Thailand using nominal shareholders and formed a joint venture with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited to obtain the construction contract for the National Audit Office building.
The Thailand Department of Special Investigation has conducted evidence searches and taken witness statements at four key locations, and discovered 24 containers in the parking area of the collapsed audit office building, containing important documents related to the construction site's operations.
In addition to the arrest of Zhang Chuanling, the Department of Special Investigation has also obtained court warrants for the arrest of three other Thai shareholders.
These three Thai shareholders collectively own 51% of China Railway 10th Bureau, with one of them holding as little as 0.0003%, raising suspicions that they are nominal shareholders. Zhang Chuanling individually holds 49% of the shares.
● Phetchonthat: Expedite Arrest Warrants
According to Bangkok Post, Thai Prime Minister Phetchonthat confirmed in a related meeting on the 18th that once sufficient evidence is found, arrest warrants for the accused individuals will be expedited.
● Confirmed Death Toll Rises to 47
At the collapse site, rescue teams are still focusing on clearing debris around the elevator shaft, where the bodies of approximately 30 missing persons are expected to be found.
The Bangkok city government stated that several bodies were found on the 18th, confirming that the death toll has risen to 47, with another 47 persons missing.