Bangkok, March 30, 2025 – A legal officer from the Civil Affairs Division of the Chatuchak District Office has filed a formal complaint with the Bang Sue Police Station, accusing five Chinese nationals of violating an official directive. The group allegedly entered a restricted area—the site of a collapsed building under construction for the State Audit Office of Thailand—and removed critical documents, including blueprints and other paperwork, from the premises.
The incident comes from the collapse of the under construction 33-story office building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, which occurred on March 28, 2025, following a powerful earthquake originating in Myanmar. The disaster has prompted relevant authorities to declare the site a restricted disaster zone under Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Act. This designation prohibits unauthorized entry, with violators facing up to three months in prison, a fine of up to 6,000 baht, or both.
The collapsed building, intended to serve as the new headquarters for the State Audit Office, was being constructed by a joint venture involving a Chinese company and a prominent Thai construction firm.
The attempted removal of the documents has of course brought questions and concerns about the integrity of the construction process and the haste with which the documents were removed. Posts on social media and various Thai news outlets, such as Thai Post and Matichon, have speculated about the motives behind the removal of the documents, with some suggesting an attempt to obscure evidence related to the building’s structural failure.
Police investigations have revealed that at least one of the individuals claimed to be a project director affiliated with the construction company, possessing valid work permits and documentation linking them to the joint venture, who reportedly claimed there was no attempt at a cover up and the documents were only being taken for routine insurance purposes.
However, authorities have not disclosed whether this justification exempts them from the prohibition on entering the restricted zone. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has reiterated that only those with explicit authorization from the Bangkok Governor are permitted to access the site, a rule reinforced by posted warnings and legal notices.
The State Audit Office has maintained that the construction process adhered to legal standards, denying allegations of reduced specifications or irregularities in the bidding process, which came in below the median price.
