Thailand arrests Chinese construction executive over Bangkok building collapse

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Thai authorities have arrested a Chinese executive of a firm in charge of constructing a 30-story high-rise building in Bangkok that collapsed last month during a powerful earthquake centered in Myanmar, The Bangkok Post reported over the weekend.

The building's collapse during the 7.7 magnitude quake on March 28 killed 47 people at the construction site and left another 47 missing, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Thai authorities announced that Zhang Chuanling, a director at China Railway No. 10's Thai subsidiary, was one of four individuals who had arrest warrants issued against them by a Thai court, including three Thai nationals.

He was taken into custody at a hotel in the Ratchadaphisek area of the capital on Saturday.

China Railway No. 10 was part of a joint venture with an Italian-Thai firm -- Italian-Thai Development Plc -- to build the State Audit Office tower.

The four individuals were identified as executives of the Thai subsidiary.

A search is underway for the three Thai executives.

Meanwhile, investigations by other agencies are ongoing into various matters, including the potential use of substandard steel in the building's construction.

China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Sunday that the death toll in Myanmar from the earthquake has risen to 3,726, with 5,105 injured and 129 missing, citing official data from Myanmar.