Thai police have launched an investigation into five Chinese nationals suspected of illegally entering the disaster site of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district and removing official construction documents.
According to a report by The Nation Thailand, Pol Maj Gen Nopasin Poolswat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, confirmed that on 29 March 2025, four individuals were apprehended for illegally removing 32 documents from the restricted zone.
The area was declared a disaster zone under the authority of the Governor of Bangkok following the collapse of the under-construction 33-storey SAO building on 28 March 2025.
The building fell during a powerful earthquake with an epicentre in Myanmar, prompting the implementation of emergency restrictions.
Thai authorities prohibit unauthorised personnel from entering the designated disaster zone, with violators facing up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to 6,000 baht, or both under the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act.
Public tip-offs led the police to intercept the suspects, with one of the individuals located near the collapse site. He identified himself as a project manager for the construction venture and presented a valid work permit.
Police later confirmed that the four individuals were subcontracted by the main contractor, Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD), through a joint venture with China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd.
The partnership, known as ITD-CREC, was tasked with constructing the 33-storey building intended to serve as the new State Audit Office headquarters. China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd. is a subsidiary of China Railway No.10 Engineering Group, a state-owned enterprise under China Railway Group.
The Chinese company holds a 49% stake in the Thai subsidiary, the maximum foreign ownership permitted under Thai law for such ventures.
The 32 documents they removed included blueprints and other materials reportedly stored in a container used as a temporary site office. The individuals claimed they retrieved the paperwork for insurance-related purposes, according to The Nation Thailand.
All seized documents have been handed over for forensic and legal review. Authorities are investigating whether any of the paperwork is connected to the cause of the collapse or potential construction irregularities.
On 30 March 2025, a legal officer from the Chatuchak District Office formally filed a complaint with Bang Sue Police Station, alleging violations of the Governor’s emergency directive.
While the four apprehended individuals were initially released after questioning, legal action is proceeding against them. A fifth person—identified as their employer—is also under investigation for potential complicity.
Despite the suspects’ claim that the removal was standard procedure for insurance purposes, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has reiterated that only those with written authorisation from the Governor are permitted to access the site.
The BMA’s warnings are prominently posted at the location and circulated in official announcements.
The State Audit Office has stated that the construction process complied with legal bidding standards and dismissed allegations of improper specifications or bidding irregularities.
Police investigations remain ongoing as they assess the significance of the removed documents and question stakeholders involved in the collapsed project.
The case has intensified public scrutiny over construction safety standards and the transparency of public infrastructure projects involving foreign partnerships.
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