Ekanat stunned! Finds irregularities in SAO building collapse

Industry Minister Akanat Promphan revealed on Sunday (March 30), after inspecting the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building, that several factors could have contributed to the collapse. He emphasized the need to check if the building was constructed according to its original design, whether the specifications were followed, and if the materials used met standard quality.

Akanat stated that the Prime Minister has ordered relevant agencies to investigate the cause, with representatives from the Ministry of Industry involved. He also called for media participation to ensure transparency in the investigation.

During the inspection, samples were collected from the site. "We found six types of steel, most from a single manufacturer. As for the brand, the media will need to investigate further. Rest assured, all samples and the entire process were based on genuine materials from the actual site. All seized materials will be sent to the Thai Iron and Steel Institute for inspection, and we invite the media to join the investigation and follow up on the results to ensure transparency," Akanat said.

"I don’t want to jump to conclusions before the investigation is completed, whether the steel is counterfeit or not. However, I did notice some irregularities in the steel’s size and its manufacturer. I’m not revealing anything yet and am not ruling out any causes. We will verify if the steel meets standards and specifications. Let the facts guide the investigation. Once the results are in, they will be sent to the fact-finding committee. I don’t want to accuse anyone prematurely, but I can say, 'Just seeing it, I was stunned,'" he added.

Akanat further noted, "If it’s found that the problematic steel came from any manufacturer, the factory will be ordered to halt production and make improvements. This could lead to the revocation of their ISO certification. The steel will be banned from sale, all affected products will be recalled, and legal action will be taken."