The Industrial Works Department has asked the Department of Special Investigation to investigate the Xin Ker Yuan steel manufacturing company, after it allegedly refused to provide information about its distribution of rebar used in the construction of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Bangkok.
Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, spokesman for the Industry Ministry, said today that Xin Ker Yuan has claimed that it did not directly supply rebar to the project site and that the actual supplier has since closed down, adding that the Chinese steel manufacturer also failed to explain the 40,000 tonnes of electric arc furnace dust, or red dust, found in the steel plant’s compound.
Pongpol said the Ministry of Industry want the DSI to treat this as a special case for investigation, because it is very complicated.
Officials from the Industry Ministry and the DSI will visit the site of the collapsed SAO building tomorrow, to collect more samples of rebar for further testing.
Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said today that search teams will focus on using heavy machinery to clear debris from zone E, to reduce the size of the rubble mound, including the use of steel cutting tools.
He noted that the rain last night did not stall the search operation, but he instructed rescuers to exercise extra caution. He also said that more than 10 dead bodies could be buried in zones B and C.
103 Buddhist monks are expected to hold a religious ceremony at the accident site this afternoon, to offer blessings and moral support to the search and rescue teams and the relatives of those still missing.
To date, 23 people are confirmed dead, nine injured and 71 are still listed as missing.
Chairman of the national audit council, General Chanatap Inthamara, said today that the auditor-general, Monthien Charoenpol, will hold his first press conference about the collapse of the SAO building after the Songkran festival.
Since the collapse of the building on March 28th, Monthien has maintained his silence. His statement in an internal circular letter, however, instructing SAO officials to remain united without expressing condolences to relatives of the dead and missing victims, has drawn heavy criticism from the public.
