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Bangkok skyscraper crumbles after quake, raising safety concerns

 

A fatal 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar on Friday, triggering shockwaves more than 1,000 kilometres away to Bangkok, Thailand, where a 33-storey under-construction high-rise supported by a Chinese company collapsed in an instant. 

The incomplete skyscraper collapsed in seconds, dispersing a huge cloud of dust and debris and burying dozens under the rubble. The tragedy has sparked serious questions about construction quality and the involvement of the Chinese-connected developer.

 

Race Against Time: Rescuers Burrow Through Rubble

 

Rescue squads are working tirelessly to find survivors among the wreckage. Thai police commander Teerasak Thongmo, the search leader, emphasised the first 72 hours as the moment of greatest importance. Unfortunately for hope, thermal imaging drones spotted at least 15 possible survivors. Pat Kongporn, whose parents are still under the rubble, vowed to wait in Bangkok until she hears from them.

As of Sunday, there are 18 confirmed dead, 33 injured, and 78, the majority of whom are construction workers. The Myanmar disaster has been even worse, with at least 1,700 dead, 3,400 injured, and more than 300 remaining unaccounted for.

 

Why Did This Building Collapse? Experts Question Structural Integrity

 

Even though Bangkok’s skyline is dominated by high-rise developments, no other building was as severely damaged. The fallen building was to be the headquarters of Thailand’s State Audit Office (SAO) and had been in construction for three years at a cost estimated at more than two billion baht (approximately US$58 million). 

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inspected the site on Saturday and instructed for an immediate probe. “I have assigned an expert committee and tasked them with seven days to figure out what led to this collapse,” he said.

Democrat Party politician and civil engineer Prof Suchatchavee Suwansawas said in an interview with The Telegraph UK that something was “definitely wrong”. He continued, “Other high-rise buildings which are under construction are standing. Either the design was flawed, or construction was compromised.”

 

The Chinese Connection: Who Was Behind the Project

 

The construction was a collaborative effort between China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., which is a subsidiary of China Railway Number 10 Engineering Group Company, and Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD). The Chinese company owns a 49 percent share of the company, the highest foreign ownership permissible under Thai law.

China Railway Number 10 Thailand, incorporated in 2018, has been engaged in large-scale infrastructure projects, such as roads and railways. Financial reports in 2023 show alarming numbers: the company recorded a net loss of 199.66 million baht with revenue of 206.25 million baht and costs of 354.95 million baht.

Its Thai stakeholders are Sophon Meechai (40.80 percent), an investor in five other firms, Prachuab Sirikhet (10.20 percent), having stakes in six companies, and Manas Sri-anant (3 percent). A team of inspectors from the Ministry of Industry was dispatched to decide if sub-standard materials or incompetent engineering were at fault for its collapse.

 

Seismic Risk: How Earthquake Waves Amplify the Effect

 

Scientists estimate that Bangkok’s soft ground greatly intensified the quake’s impact, intensifying the shaking by three to four times. Geologists likened the earthquake’s force to ‘334 atomic bombs.’

Dr Rebecca Bell, a tectonics specialist at Imperial College London, said that the ‘straight fault’ of the quake enabled energy to travel south towards Thailand. Furthermore, a building technique called ‘flat slab’ construction, where floors directly sit on columns without beams, could have helped cause the instantaneous and disastrous collapse. 

Dr Christian Malaga-Chuquitaype, senior lecturer in earthquake engineering, likened it to “a table held up only by legs, with no additional horizontal supports below,” which made it extremely susceptible during earthquakes.

 

Demands for Tighter Building Controls

 

Although earthquake-proofing standards apply to 43 Thai provinces, officials estimate fewer than 10 percent of the buildings actually meet the requirements. In light of this relatively recent skyscraper collapse, the country is likely to face even closer examination of its construction practices.

Official attention remains centred on the search for survivors as relatives hope and wait nervously for information. As enquiries continue, the Thai authorities come under pressure to hold people responsible and ensure future catastrophes are avoided.