Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra visited relatives of people missing since Friday’s collapse of the State Audit Office building in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district on Wednesday. The relatives were camped near the disaster site, with the broken building rising in the background. The Department of Special Investigation has stepped in to probe shareholdings by suspected Thai nominees in China Railway No.10 Engineering Co (CREC), the contractor responsible for the collapsed State Audit Office. CREC has also been involved as a contractor in numerous other government projects, raising questions about governance, ownership, and compliance across high-profile public works.
Investigation into CREC and Thai nominees
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is actively examining whether Thai nominees hold shares in CREC in a way that would contravene the nation’s rules requiring Thai ownership to reach at least 51 percent. Officials, including Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong, stated on Wednesday that the DSI had gathered enough evidence to suspect the use of nominees at the company. This line of inquiry forms part of a broader audit of CREC’s governance structures and corporate ownership, as well as a review of whether the company’s construction practices align with national standards and regulations.
Beyond shareholding questions, the DSI indicated that investigators would assess whether CREC’s construction materials met industrial standards and if the quality of CREC’s work on the collapsed building complied with required specifications. The ministry signaled that the investigation would not stop at the State Audit Office project but would expand to include other government building projects awarded to CREC or its Chinese engineers. The aim is to establish whether any governance or procurement irregularities accompanied CREC’s multi-project involvement across the public sector. The scope of the inquiry signals a broader push to scrutinize foreign-led consortia operating on Thai government contracts and to ensure alignment with legal ownership requirements and public-interest safeguards.
The DSI’s probe comes amid a broader concern about how Chinese-led contractors engage in projects across the Thai government sector between 2019 and 2022. As investigators move forward, authorities are expected to scrutinize corporate governance, potential nominee arrangements, and the integrity of procurement processes associated with CREC and its partners. The implications of these inquiries could influence ongoing and future tenders, project oversight, and the management of public assets. The ministry’s announcements emphasize that the DSI will pursue all available avenues to determine whether Thai ownership thresholds were observed and whether any misuse of foreign involvement compromised the integrity of public works.
CREC project portfolio and related government contracts
CREC is reportedly a member of several consortiums that undertook a range of government projects during the 2019–2022 window. The list of projects attributed to CREC or its consortium partners includes some of the country’s most visible public infrastructure and public-service facilities, underscoring why this contractor’s governance warrants careful examination. The projects—each with its stated budget—span administrative, educational, health, and civic facilities, reflecting CREC’s footprint across the public sector.
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The new State Audit Office, with a price tag of 2.14 billion baht, which collapsed in Bangkok last Friday, is among the most scrutinized undertakings tied to CREC and related consortium entities. The dramatic failure of this high-profile project has intensified questions about project governance, material selection, and contract compliance, prompting investigations and heightened regulatory oversight.
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The new passenger terminal at Narathiwat Airport, budgeted at 639 million baht, represents a significant public investment in regional air infrastructure. The terminal’s construction and commissioning would have implications for regional connectivity, economic development, and public service delivery, and thus has become part of the discussion about how foreign-led consortia manage Thai projects.
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A housing project comprising 354 units in Phuket, with a budget of 343 million baht, reflects CREC’s involvement in residential public amenities and infrastructure. Housing developments under public-sector programs often entail intricate procurement and labor standards considerations, which investigators may review for compliance with governance rules and local regulations.
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A new school building at Wat Amarintararam, costing 160 million baht, located in Bangkok, indicates CREC’s participation in educational infrastructure expansion. School constructions are typically subject to rigorous safety, accessibility, and material standards requirements, making them focal points in reviews of project integrity.
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A warehouse at Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute, budgeted at 146 million baht, in Bangkok, underscores CREC’s reach into healthcare-related facilities and institutional storage infrastructure. Warehousing for medical institutes often involves specific material and safety specifications, which regulators may scrutinize for compliance.
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A dormitory at Phuket Rajabhat University in Phuket, with a cost of 132 million baht, demonstrates CREC’s involvement in higher education campus facilities. Dormitory projects require robust compliance with safety codes, fire standards, and building performance criteria, all of which can be central to oversight discussions.
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A provincial government complex in Phrae, costing 540 million baht, reflects CREC’s engagement in multi-use government complexes that house administrative functions. Complex government facilities often demand integrated planning, security, and sustainability standards.
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A boxing camp for the Sports Authority of Thailand in Bangkok, at 608 million baht, illustrates the breadth of CREC’s projects across different public sport and recreation facilities. Sports facilities frequently involve specialized materials and safety requirements, which can come under additional oversight.
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Residences for judicial officials of the Court of Appeal Region 9 in Songkhla, costing 386 million baht, highlight CREC’s involvement in judiciary-supportive infrastructure. Residences for high-level officials require strict adherence to quality, safety, and security standards.
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Civil and criminal courts in Min Buri district of Bangkok, costing 782 million baht, add to the portfolio of judiciary-adjacent construction projects attributed to CREC. Court facilities demand precise compliance with design, acoustics, accessibility, and safety guidelines.
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A customer service centre for the Phuket electricity authority, priced at 210 million baht, marks CREC’s footprint in the energy sector’s customer-facing infrastructure. Customer service centers often require careful attention to energy efficiency, safety, and accessibility.
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A command building at the Naval Ordnance Department in Bangkok, at 179 million baht, indicates CREC’s work on specialized defense-adjacent facilities. Such projects typically entail stringent security and material standards, as well as compliance with sector-specific regulations.
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A building for the Office of National Water Resources, costing 716 million baht, demonstrates CREC’s role in essential water-management infrastructure. Water resources facilities often entail robust structural resilience and long-term sustainability considerations.
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A Provincial Electricity Authority academy, valued at 606 million baht, reflects CREC’s involvement in educational or training facilities linked to energy governance. Specialized academies require environment-conscious design, safety measures, and durable construction practices.
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A new outpatient building at Songkhla Hospital, costing 426 million baht, exemplifies CREC’s participation in expanding public healthcare access through outpatient facilities. Hospital projects demand strict adherence to clinical standards, infection control measures, and safety.
These projects demonstrate CREC’s extensive involvement across a spectrum of public-sector infrastructure and services. The list also signals why the government would seek to verify ownership structures and procurement integrity, given the scale and visibility of these ventures. Investigators will examine how contracts were awarded, how procurement criteria were applied, whether standards and specifications were met, and whether any conflicts of interest or governance gaps might have influenced project outcomes across this portfolio.
On Wednesday, immigration police conducted a search at a house in Din Daeng district, Bangkok, believed to be used by CREC’s China Railway No.10 Engineering Co. Their operation yielded two Chinese nationals and eight Thai nationals, along with a Toyota vehicle registered to the company. The house was sparsely furnished, aligning with initial investigations that seek to understand the operational footprint of the contractor linked to the collapsed State Audit Office building. The search activity is part of broader security and compliance checks into foreign contractors operating on Thai soil, particularly those connected to critical public works. The findings of this search are expected to feed into ongoing inquiries about procurement, governance, and the legal frameworks governing foreign involvement in national infrastructure programs.
The ITD-CREC consortium that was responsible for building the State Audit Office asserted on Wednesday that its construction materials met all standards. The consortium said the materials were thoroughly checked and certified by a material acceptance committee before being transported to the construction site. They contended that procurement and building processes complied with the terms of reference for the project, relevant laws, and engineering standards. This defense underscores how public-private collaborations justify their adherence to established protocols and aims to reassure stakeholders about compliance with technical and regulatory requirements during construction, testing, and commissioning phases. The consortium’s statement seeks to affirm that the project followed the governance and quality-control measures necessary to prevent safety and structural issues.
The Office of the Judiciary stated on Wednesday that the two building projects—those serving the Court of Appeal Region 9 and the civil and criminal courts in Min Buri district—met relevant standards. The judiciary’s affirmation suggests that, from their perspective, the projects conformed to the design, safety, and functional requirements expected of public court facilities. The investigation surrounding these facilities will still continue to determine whether there were any underlying irregularities in procurement, design, or execution, but the judiciary’s early endorsement provides a counterpoint to questions about overall project integrity. The ongoing review process remains attentive to whether all stages—from planning and tendering to construction and inspection—were carried out in line with established Thai laws, engineering standards, and ethics guidelines.
As part of ongoing operations, immigration police conducted further actions related to CREC’s activities in Din Daeng. The search’s outcome contributes to the broader intelligence and regulatory framework that governs foreign commercial involvement in critical public infrastructure. Authorities are expected to continue monitoring CREC’s operations, in tandem with the DSI’s investigation into shareholding arrangements and collaboration approvals, to determine if any legal or regulatory breach may have occurred. The dynamic between foreign participation and domestic ownership rules remains a central theme in the scrutiny of large-scale government projects, particularly those with significant public impact and frequent cross-border involvement.
On the political front, the Prime Minister’s visit to the families of missing individuals underscores the human dimension of the disaster while investigations unfold. Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s presence at the disaster site and among the relatives highlights the government’s responsiveness to those affected by the collapse and the ongoing search-and-rescue or recovery operations. The scene near the disaster site reflected both a moment of condolence and a reminder of the complexity of accountability when multiple agencies are involved in public infrastructure projects with expansive stakeholder interests. The visit also serves to reaffirm public trust in the government’s commitment to transparency and safety, particularly in light of the investigations into CREC’s ownership and project oversight.
Immigration and security authorities stressed that the house in Din Daeng was linked to CREC’s local operations, prompting questions about how foreign contractors are integrated into Thai projects and how supervisory bodies assess their compliance with Thai law. The two Chinese nationals and eight Thai nationals found there, along with the company-registered vehicle, provide a tangible link to CREC’s presence in Bangkok and its broader project footprint. While the immediate implications of the search are not detailed in public statements, the incident reinforces the need for rigorous due diligence on foreign contractors, including verification of ownership structures, staffing, and procurement practices. The ongoing inquiries will be pivotal in shaping future policy and enforcement actions to strengthen governance around foreign involvement in strategic public works.
Conclusion
The situation surrounding the State Audit Office collapse has spurred a multi-faceted examination of CREC’s ownership, governance, and project execution across a wide portfolio of public-sector contracts. The DSI’s expansion of the inquiry to whether Thai nominees hold shares and whether construction materials and quality met standards illustrates a comprehensive approach to accountability in large-scale infrastructure programs. The CREC consortium’s defense that materials met all standards—and that procurement and building processes complied with the terms of reference, laws, and engineering standards—adds another layer to the ongoing dialogue about project integrity and regulatory compliance.
Simultaneously, investigations into two major judicial facilities and other CREC-associated projects, along with the immigration police operation in Din Daeng, highlight the convergence of safety, legal compliance, and governance in Thailand’s public works sector. The government’s response—through the DSI, the Office of the Judiciary, and security services—reflects a commitment to transparency and oversight, particularly when foreign contractors participate in critical national infrastructure. As the inquiries proceed, the public will be looking for clear findings about ownership structures, procurement integrity, material quality, and adherence to Thai law across CREC’s project portfolio. The balance between safeguarding national interests and maintaining a fair, open market for infrastructure development remains central to the ongoing investigations and policy considerations stemming from this disaster.
