State Audit Office (SAO) claims unaware China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group involved in construction of its collapsed Bangkok building
In a bizarre explanation, the State Audit Office (SAO) claimed it was unaware that China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group was involved in the construction of its collapsed building, despite the contract being awarded to the ITD-CREC joint venture, which includes Italian-Thai Development and the Chinese firm. Deputy Auditor General Sutthiphong Boonnithi said all procedures followed legal requirements.
The SAO invited 24 firms to submit design proposals; only three responded. Forum Architect and Meinhardt (Thailand) scored highest, leading to a 73-million-baht design contract.
Nineteen firms were then invited to bid for the project management role, with five submitting proposals.
For construction, 16 firms joined the bidding process. ITD-CREC won, with no evidence of collusion, according to Sutthiphong. He said the joint venture had funding and Chinese technology and claimed it could deliver the project within budget.
The project was supposed to take three years but was extended twice due to COVID-19 and design changes. After four years, only 33% was completed due to financial issues faced by the contractor. The contract was cancelled on January 15, 2025, and was under review.
Sutthiphong insisted the SAO had no knowledge of the Chinese company’s role, as ITD had always represented the joint venture.
UPDATE
The SAO told the lower house’s Committee on Judiciary, Independent Organs, State Attorney Organ, State Enterprises, Public Organizations, and Funds that the construction of its collapsed building followed all legal procedures.
Nine contract amendments were made due to conflicts between engineering and architectural designs, but each change involved consultations with the designer.
The SAO said that no changes were made to the structural pillars and that the quality of materials, including steel and cement, met Thai Industrial Standards (TIS).
All required tests for strength and bending were passed without compromising quality. However, the discovery of substandard steel found at the collapsed building site raises concerns about the accuracy of these statements. The SAO has yet to address the issue publicly.
The SAO said the new building must be large as it currently lacks its own office. It will house 2,400 civil servants and international audit representatives. The contractor also secured full insurance coverage for the building project.
The SAO said construction delays were caused by the contractor’s financial issues, leading to the termination of the contract on January 15, 2025. However, the termination process is still pending approval from the OAG. After learning of the contract termination, the contractor rapidly increased the workforce from 80 to 400 workers per day to show capability, resulting in a high number of fatalities.
UPDATE
In a meeting with the Committee on Budgeting Study and Budget Administration, Deputy Auditor General Sutthiphong Boonnithi continued to claim that all materials used in the construction of the building met the required standards during inspections.
Sutthiphong said the building, classified as a high-rise structure under the Building Control Act, required professional design services. The SAO hired Forum Architect and Meinhardt (Thailand) for a budget of 73 million baht.
The ITD-CRCC Consortium (comprising Italian-Thai Development and China Railway No. 10) won the bidding, with the contract signed on September 23, 2020. The total contract value was 2.56 billion baht, later reduced to 2.14 billion baht after adjustments.
The construction was slated to take three years, with 36 work phases.
The SAO rented a 10-rai area from the railway to accommodate 2,400 staff members, including a parking structure and a training center. With 50 internal departments, a tall building was necessary.
The project officially began on January 1, 2021, with an expected completion date of December 31, 2023. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and contract amendments, the timeline was extended twice, now set for June 3, 2027, with no penalties according to the extension letter dated August 7, 2025.
Sutthiphong noted that to date, 22 payments totaling 966 million baht have been made. Structural adjustments, including additional steel and cement, were incorporated when necessary.
He emphasized that any construction issues would be thoroughly addressed and said that the SAO would take responsibility, but he prefers an external body to investigate the building collapse and determine those accountable.
Regarding the use of luxury materials, Sutthiphong said that the design was intended to reflect the high-level status of SAO officials and their administrative needs. He said that future projects would aim for cost reductions if current expenses were deemed high.
The STRONG Association Against Corruption found that before the collapse, the office had planned to spend 97,900 baht on an office chair, 90,000 baht on a dining table, 165,000 baht on a sofa, and 165,000 baht on a carpet for the building.
On the matter of cement and steel quality, Sutthiphong said the cconstruction certified materials, including TIS-compliant steel. He noted that structural adjustments and tests were conducted according to standards, ensuring all materials met the required specifications.
Source: Thai Enquirer on X
