BANGKOK – Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Immigration have arrested a Chinese executive linked to the company responsible for building the State Audit Office tower in Bangkok. The building collapsed during the earthquake on March 28.
Authorities detained Zhang Chuanling at a hotel in the Ratchadaphisek area of Bangkok on Saturday. Investigators confirmed that the Criminal Court has issued four arrest warrants under Sections 37 and 41 of the Foreign Business Act, 1999.
The warrants name the following: China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (represented by Mr Chuanling Zhang as a director), Mr Manat Srianan, Mr Prajuab Sirikhet, and Mr Sophon Meechai.
The investigation showed that Mr Chuanling Zhang serves as a director at China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Co., Ltd., which operates as a joint venture with Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited.
As for the three Thai shareholders, Mr Prajuab, Mr Sophon, and Mr Manat, investigators are still working to locate and detain them.
These four served as executives of the Thai branch of the Chinese state-owned construction company. CREC partnered with Italian-Thai Development Plc, a company listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand, to form the ITD-CREC consortium.
This group was responsible for constructing the 30-story State Audit Office headquarters in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district.
A DSI review of the company’s shareholding revealed that The company’s registered address is 493 Soi Phutthabucha, Yaek 11, Bang Mod, Thung Khru, Bangkok.
Shareholding records indicate that Thai nationals own 51% of the company: Mr Sophon Meechai holds 40.7997%, Mr Prajuab Sirikhet owns 10.2%, and Mr Manat Srianan has 0.0003%. The remaining 49% is held by Mr Chuanling Zhang from China.
Bangkok investigators say they have gathered enough evidence to suspect nominee shareholding, which violates the Foreign Business Act of 1999. After collecting statements and reviewing documents, the DSI sought and received approval from the Criminal Court for warrants to arrest the four executives.
Officials located Zhang at a hotel in Ratchadaphisek and brought him to DSI headquarters on Chaeng Watthana Road for questioning. Police continue to search for the three Thai executives. Other agencies are also looking into different aspects of the case, including whether substandard steel was used in the building’s construction.
At the collapse site, rescue workers are now focused on clearing debris near the elevator shaft, where about 30 missing people are thought to be trapped. Several bodies were recovered on Friday, bringing the death toll to 47.
Another 47 people are still missing, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
