DSI calls on Thai shareholders of China Railway to cooperate in collapse investigation

The company was awarded a 2.1-billion-baht contract to construct the new headquarters for the State Audit Office (SAO), which collapsed during the earthquake on March 28

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has called on the three Thai shareholders of China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd to come forward and provide information to investigators regarding the collapsed building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district.

The company was awarded a 2.1-billion-baht contract to construct the new headquarters for the State Audit Office (SAO), which collapsed during the earthquake on March 28, trapping several workers inside.

Following the incident, the DSI accepted the investigation into the contractors as a special case.

During a press event on Monday, DSI spokesman Pol Maj Woranan Srilam said that instead of hiding from authorities, the company’s shareholders should come forward and provide information to the investigators.

The company’s largest shareholder is China Railway Number 10 Engineering Group Company from China, which holds 49% of the shares. The remaining 51% is held by three Thai nationals: Sophon Meechai, Prachuab Sirikhate, and Manas Sri-anan.

Woranan said the investigation would expand to determine whether there is any basis for money laundering charges. If issues of bid-rigging arise, they will fall under the 28 types of offenses related to money laundering laws, he added.

“The shareholders are not yet suspects, but we intend to investigate their involvement in such large-scale business operations,” said Woranan.



Regarding the site investigation, the DSI has coordinated with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to prepare for surveying the area alongside relevant agencies such as the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning and the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), among others.

“However, since the relevant agencies are currently prioritizing disaster relief efforts, we must also coordinate the handling of evidence and witness-related matters,” said Woranan.

He added that the DSI has requested the TISI to submit an investigation report on the quality of steel bars used in the construction project, which are believed to have contributed to the building’s collapse.

(2025/04/08-00:00)