Tower collapse puts builder in spotlight

Indeed, it served as a poster child for China's success in penetrating the lucrative markets of neighbouring nations with pro-motional posts on Douyin, Weibo and other social media.

- Phillip Cunningham

CRRC's English language blurb proudly states that it "sent strong troops overseas" on the Belt and Road, taking entry into the Thai market to construct the Audit Office Building in Bangkok.

The mega-power firm behind the wildly successful project is described thusly: "China Railway No. 10 is a super large-state-held cross industry, transnational construction corporation, a Super Grade General Contractor of Railway Engineering Construction, Highway Projects, bridge, tunnel, track-laying, girder-erection, bed and surface."

Among positive attributes, not long to detail, CRRC No. 10 is also well described as "a Class A General Contractor crucial in blasting demolition."

It will take a thorough forensic analysis to determine what caused the building to implode with such stunning integrity and com-plexity. But already questions are being raised on social network forums about quality control, extravagant expenditures, numerous delays, corruption, labour contracting and other-wise sharp practices in mega-move that appar-ently riddled the faltering project since its inception in 2019.

Online discussions critique the design itself, the exposed skinny pillars on the bottom, the flat slab build, and the lack of headers and dependencies on columns for support.