Earthquake Tragedy Exposes Construction Flaws in Bangkok

Thai authorities have officially concluded the search at a collapsed building site in Bangkok after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck in Myanmar, killing over 90 people in the city. Investigations are ongoing into construction safety, regulatory enforcement, and potential corruption involving several firms, including a Chinese contractor.

On Tuesday, Thai authorities officially concluded their search operations at the construction site in Bangkok where a building collapsed after an earthquake, killing dozens. The 7.7 magnitude quake, which struck on March 28 in Myanmar, resulted in 96 fatalities in Thailand, with the collapsed site being the epicenter of tragedy.

While engineers retrieve 89 bodies from the debris, seven individuals remain unaccounted for, prompting ongoing examinations of human remains to identify those still missing. Concerns have arisen about the enforcement of safety standards and allegations of corruption after the office building of the State Audit Office was found to be the only structure to fully collapse during the tremor.

Authorities are actively investigating companies linked to the collapse, including Chinese contractor China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group. The probe has led to the arrest of a Chinese executive in Thailand and three Thai shareholders. Simultaneously, Xin Ke Yuan Steel faces scrutiny over substandard steel rods used in the construction.

(With inputs from agencies.)