SONGKHLA — A new building at Songkhla Hospital is being built by the same Chinese company constructing the 30-storey State Audit Office building that collapsed during the earthquake last Friday.
It is also building the well behind-schedule new terminal at Narathiwat airport.
The nine-storey hospital building is intended to house outpatient and accident services at Songkhla Hospital in Muang district.
Hospital director Ratanapol Lorprasertkul and public works engineers inspected the partially completed 426.9-million-baht building on Tuesday.
The contractor is the AKC consortium comprising Akarakorn Development Co with a 51% stake and China Railway No.10 (Thailand) Co the remaining 49%.
"The quality of construction materials is under strict control and the building was designed to withstand earthquakes. Engineers and officials from appropriate agencies are supervising it closely to ensure it meets all standards," the hospital director said.
The new hospital building was due for completion by the middle of this year, but work was delayed by the severe flooding late last year, he said.
Project manager Supachoke Phakdee said workers felt some vibration at the construction site during the Myanmar earthquake, but the structure was intact. Construction was halted on concerns about possible aftershocks but should resume in a few days, he said.
Airport terminal
It is not the only project the Chinese construction company is involved in.
Deputy Transport Minister Manaporn Charoensri said on Wednesday that China Railway No.10 (Thailand) Co was also building the new terminal at Narathiwat provincial airport. The work was going very slowly, she said.
Construction of the 639.89-million-baht terminal advanced only 0.51% last month, and it was still only 39.24% completed.
It had been due for completion on Jan 16 this year, but work was further delayed by the flooding in Narathiwat province late last year, Ms Manaporn said.
The deputy minister said the Department of Airports, the project owner, would follow future progress closely to determine if the contractor would be able to complete it. The construction consortium comprises China Railway No.10 (Thailand) Co and ISO Engineering Co, she said.
