Probe urged on Bangkok-Korat HSR after Chinese firm linked to SAO building collapse

Marut Chumkhuntod, a candidate for Mayor of Nakhon Ratchasima, expressed his concern over the construction of the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway.

He pointed out that the project is being carried out by the Italian-Thai Development (ITD)- China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC), the same group responsible for constructing the 30-story State Audit Office (SAO) building that recently collapsed following the earthquake on March 28, 2025.

He stated that the government must urgently assess the financial impact of the building collapse and its effects on investments.

He also stressed the need to evaluate the structural quality of the construction and the technologies used by China, which have already been implemented in various projects.

The recent earthquake has shown severe consequences, raising concerns about their safety and reliability.

He called on the public to closely monitor these issues, particularly regarding transparency. He noted that the new construction technologies used by the Chinese company in the SAO building failed to withstand the earthquake. Likewise, the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway must undergo a thorough structural and standard review to determine whether the Chinese technology can withstand seismic events.

He urged the government to conduct a detailed inspection and promptly clarify the findings to the public.

Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum, in his capacity as Director of the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Incident Command Center, assigned Krit Phoonkasem, Head of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, along with engineers from SPTK Joint Venture Co., Ltd., CSC Co., and the Chinese government, to inspect the construction of the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed railway at a site in Ban Mai Subdistrict, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima District.

The engineers conducted inspections throughout the province, covering track structures, station buildings, and tunnel structures. No abnormalities related to the earthquake were found. They confirmed that all structures were designed to withstand seismic events and guaranteed a structural lifespan of 100 years.

The Head of the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office instructed the engineers to compile their findings into a report for submission to the State Railway of Thailand and Nakhon Ratchasima Province to ensure confidence among all stakeholders.