Netizens condemn Chinese company for ‘substandard steel’ used in collapsed building during earthquake
While Bangkok was shaken but largely unscathed by the recent earthquake that devastated parts of Myanmar and Thailand, one building completely collapsed — raising serious concerns over construction standards.
Investigations quickly uncovered that the collapsed structure had been built with substandard steel, allegedly produced by a Chinese-owned company.
Now, reports on the incident are also reportedly being wiped from the Chinese internet, with netizens alleging censorship of discussions on the disaster.
Only one building collapsed in Bangkok, authorities probe
Despite multiple buildings suffering significant cracks, only one building in Bangkok actually collapsed as a result of the earthquake.
This has prompted authorities to investigate.
Source: @Thairath_News on X
According to the Bangkok Post, the contractors for the project had apparently used “substandard steel” made by a company that had been ordered to shutter following safety violations.
Source: @ConsumerthaiFFC on X
The building was part of a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Company and China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group.
Thai authorities are also scrutinising whether the Chinese company has been illegally using Thai nominees as proxy shareholders to bypass local regulations.
The shuttered company who provided the steel for the construction was also Chinese-owned. Xin Ke Yuan Steel, whose majority shareholder is a Chinese national, had a factory located in Rayong province.
The Nation reports that the company was one of 12 still using the controversial Induction Furnace method — a technique China itself banned over a decade ago due to severe environmental and quality concerns.
Thai authorities are currently investigating the cause of the collapse.
Discussions allegedly censored in China
The collapse quickly became a major topic of discussion in Thailand and beyond, with many raising concerns about the safety of Chinese-built infrastructure worldwide.
However, reports on the incident were reportedly swiftly scrubbed from Chinese media
According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), articles on the collapse — including those from state-run media like People’s Daily and CCTV — were deleted without explanation.
Chinese netizens who attempted to search for information found no relevant results, as discussions on Chinese construction quality abroad were rapidly censored.
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Featured image adapted from @Thairath_News on X and @ConsumerthaiFFC on X.
