Bangkok: The results of the State Audit Office's second round of steel inspection have unveiled that the 20 mm rebar from "Xin Ke Yuan" does not meet the required standards. The Ministry of Industry has forwarded these findings to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) for use in the State Audit Office building collapse case.
According to Thai News Agency, Secretary to the Minister of Industry and Spokesperson of the Ministry of Industry, Mr. Pongpol Yodmuangcharoen, disclosed that Minister of Industry Mr. Ekkanat Promphan had directed the Ministry's inspection team to collaborate with the DSI to collect additional steel bar samples from the State Audit Office building site on April 11, 2025. The latest inspection by the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand confirmed that the 20 mm SD40T ribbed steel bars, produced by the Xinkeyuan Company, failed the mass per meter test, consistent with earlier results this month.
The Ministry will provide these findings to the DSI as evidence to investigate the building collapse. This investigation is separate from any legal action against the manufacturer concerning product standards, which has already been initiated based on the first inspection results from March 31, 2025.
The Iron and Steel Institute's inspection adheres to standards set by the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI). The latest results showed that the 20 mm SD40T rebar from Xin Ke Yuan again had a lower mass per meter. However, the 32 mm rebar, previously noted for a lower yield value, passed the recent test, underscoring the transparency of the inspection process. The Xin Ke Yuan company is now required to explain these findings directly to the DSI. This inspection forms part of a broader initiative to tackle the 'zero-dollar industry,' with Minister Ekkanat enforcing laws against businesses producing substandard goods. Over the past seven months, the Sud Sai team has seized steel valued at 384.4 million baht, all produced using induction furnace technology, which is believed to compromise steel quality. Consequently, Minister Ekkanat has proposed an agenda to the Industrial Product Standards Committee (IPC) to consider withdrawing certification for IF steel standards.