Attawit points out irregularities in the inspection of Sin Ke Yuan steel and urges random, unannounced furnace inspections to obtain genuine test results. He hopes for revised standards requiring all factories to have molten steel refining furnaces and to discontinue IF furnaces in producing rebar for high-rise construction.
On 18 June 2026, Attawit Suwanpakdee, party-list MP of the United Thai Nation Party, raised concerns about irregularities in steel standard inspections at Sin Ke Yuan company. He noted that over 40,000 steel rods were sold during the transition between Ministers of Industry. Although the investigation committee mandated random inspections of all furnaces, when the factory was allowed to reopen, only some furnaces were inspected, which did not comply with the established procedures.
Additionally, Attawit questioned why steel samples were sent for testing to the Automotive Institute and the Thai-German Institute, whereas the original permit involved the Iron Institute. He urged the Ministry of Industry to intensify random inspections of over 40,000 steel rods sold at retail outlets. He emphasized that "relevant agencies must conduct random furnace inspections without prior notice to steel factories," applying this nationwide—not only to Sin Ke Yuan—to ensure inspection results accurately reflect reality. If standards are not met, legal action must follow.
Meanwhile, at an Industry Committee meeting, representatives from the Steel Industry Association, IF and EAF steel producers, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Department of Industrial Works, and the Industrial Product Standards Office (IPSO) attended to listen and provide explanations. All parties acknowledged concerns about random inspections and agreed on the need for traceability checks through to the point of sale.
Next week, the Industrial Product Standards Committee on steel will hold a meeting, where attention will focus on whether production standards will be revised. Attawit proposed two key measures: first, requiring all factories to have molten steel refining furnaces to control quality; second, considering a ban on IF furnace technology for producing rebar used in columns and beams to enhance long-term building safety.