Thailand: 17 suspects wanted for involvement in building collapse after earthquake

The 30-story tower being built in Bangkok to house the State Audit Office collapsed into rubble in seconds when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands of people there.

The 30-story building under construction in Bangkok collapsed into rubble in seconds when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar on March 28. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)
The 30-story building under construction in Bangkok collapsed into rubble in seconds when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar on March 28. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – A Thai court on May 15 issued arrest warrants for 17 people over the collapse of a Bangkok skyscraper that fell in a major earthquake, killing dozens of workers.

Police Lieutenant-General Siam Boonsom announced the arrest warrants to media but did not give details of those targeted by the warrants.

However, Thai media reports said the suspects include staff from Italian-Thai Development (ITD), one of the firms building the tower.

The 30-story tower being built to house the State Audit Office collapsed into rubble in seconds when a 7.7-magnitude quake struck Myanmar on March 28, killing thousands of people there.

The tower was the only building in Bangkok to collapse, and the speed and suddenness with which it fell has raised questions about the quality of the construction.

Thai authorities say they have recovered 89 bodies from the rubble, with seven people still unaccounted for.

Initial tests by Thai safety officials last month on steel rebars – struts used to reinforce concrete – recovered from the site found that some of the metal used was substandard./.

VNA

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