Chinese Executive Seeks Bail in SAO-China Railway Nominee Shareholder Scandal
BANGKOK – A Chinese executive at the center of a high-profile investigation involving the collapse of the unfinished State Audit Office (SAO) building has applied for bail while being detained for further questioning by Thai authorities.
On Monday, special investigators from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) took Zhang Chuanling, an executive of China Railway No.10 (Thailand) Co, to the Criminal Court to request a 12-day extension of his detention. The extension was sought to continue the investigation into his alleged use of Thai nominee shareholders in the company, a practice that violates Thai corporate law.
Zhang was arrested on Saturday, just days after the March 28 earthquake, which led to the catastrophic collapse of the 30-storey SAO tower in Chatuchak district. The collapse resulted in 47 confirmed deaths, with nine injured and another 47 workers still unaccounted for beneath the rubble.
Authorities revealed that Zhang holds 49% of the company’s shares, while three Thai nationals – Manas Sri-anan, Prachuap Sirikhet, and Sophon Meechai – hold the remaining 51%. The DSI suspects these Thai shareholders acted as nominees, allegedly allowing Zhang to illegally control the company beyond the legal foreign ownership limit.
Zhang denied all allegations, claiming he was a representative of a Chinese state-owned enterprise tasked with investing in Thailand. The company, China Railway No.10 (Thailand), had formed a joint venture with Italian-Thai Development Plc to secure the SAO construction contract.
Pol Capt Surawut Rangsai, DSI deputy director-general, confirmed that Mr. Manas had surrendered to authorities and was being interrogated.
Zhang’s legal team submitted a one-million-baht bail application, which the DSI did not oppose, citing the maximum sentence of less than 10 years for the alleged crime. The court is currently reviewing the bail request.
Meanwhile, investigators are also probing into possible construction malpractice, including the use of substandard materials, particularly steel, and unauthorized alterations to the design of the central elevator shaft, which may have critically compromised the building’s structural integrity.
