Substandard steel suspected in tragedy

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday acknowledged that substandard steel is one of the clearer clues in the collapse.

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MONGKOL BANGPRAPA

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday acknowledged that substandard steel is one of the clearer clues in the construction of the State Audit Office (SAO) building that collapsed during the earthquake on Friday.

“Progress updates have been consistent, reporters, and the issue of substandard steel is one of the clearer aspects,” she said.

She said that the government’s investigation has focused on the quality of steel used in the construction, with the Ministry of Industry inspecting various steel types taken from the collapsed site.

Seven types of steel were tested, and initial findings revealed that there were some substandard ones — 20mm and 32mm in thickness — sourced from the same manufacturer, she said.