Urgent call for accelerated probe into the collapse of the earthquake-struck skyscraper in Bangkok by Thai authorities.
BANGKOK UPDATE: Almost a month since the 30-story skyscraper, destined to become the new State Audit Office (SAO) headquarters, crumbled following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Myanmar, investigations into the disaster are still in full swing. The rubble of this once-ambitious building, which collapsed in seconds on March 28, has left 103 workers dead and 28 still unaccounted for.
Thai officials have been tirelessly working onsite, employing heavy machinery to sift through the monumental wreckage. Some grim discoveries have been made; as of late April, 66 bodies have been found. Rescue efforts continue in hopes that more survivors might be discovered.
Initial probes suggest questionable practices in the construction and design of the building. The structure was erected by a subsidiary of the state-run China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group and a Thai company. Evidently, the building employed a beamless design with flat slabs and slender columns to maximize open space, a design susceptible to seismic failures.
Furthermore, experts suspect that Bangkok's unstable alluvial soil, which can amplify ground motion during earthquakes, could have increased the building's vulnerability. The investigation is also scrutinizing construction safety codes and regulations in an attempt to uncover why the structure failed so catastrophically.
Investigators are also looking into bid-rigging and the authenticity of project documents. The construction boss and engineers are being questioned as part of this investigation. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is involved in these inquiries.
Thai officials are urging a swift investigation to shed light on the true reasons behind the collapse of the building. The Interior Minister has emphasized the need to examine possible factors such as designers, inspectors, and builders. The investigation is focusing on a thorough forensic analysis, regulatory scrutiny, and technological analysis of the beamless design used in the building, in hopes of preventing similar disasters in the future.
- The rubble of the collapsed SAO headquarters in Bangkok, which killed 103 workers in March, is still being sifted through by Thai officials.
- The investigation into the causes of the building's collapse is not only examining questionable practices in its construction and design, but also scrutinizing construction safety codes and regulations.
- Experts suspect that the building's vulnerability may have been increased by Bangkok's unstable alluvial soil, which can amplify ground motion during earthquakes.
- The investigation is also looking into bid-rigging and the authenticity of project documents, with the construction boss and engineers being questioned as part of this inquiry, and the Department of Special Investigation involved in the proceedings.
