A Chinese-backed construction firm is under investigation following the collapse of a 33-story high-rise in Bangkok during a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck central Myanmar on Friday. The unfinished building crumbled instantly, trapping dozens beneath the rubble and sending a cloud of dust into the air.
As of Sunday, authorities have confirmed 17 fatalities, with 32 people injured and 83 still unaccounted for—mostly construction workers. Search and rescue operations continue under extreme heat, with thermal imaging drones detecting at least 15 individuals who may still be alive. So far, eight bodies have been recovered from the debris.
Despite Bangkok’s numerous high-rise construction projects, no other buildings suffered similar destruction. Investigators are now questioning the structural integrity of the collapsed skyscraper, which was being built for Thailand’s State Audit Office (SAO) at a cost exceeding two billion baht (£45 million).
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an expert panel to determine the cause of the disaster within seven days. Reports indicate that the SAO building was a joint project between Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., a subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned firm holding a 49% stake.
Beyond Thailand, the earthquake has devastated Myanmar, where over 1,600 deaths have been reported. The tremors reduced buildings to rubble in Mandalay and surrounding areas, prompting the junta to declare a state of emergency and appeal for international aid.
Hospitals in both countries are overwhelmed, and structural damage remains widespread. In Bangkok, the quake even caused rooftop swimming pools to overflow, dramatically spilling water down skyscrapers.
