Located in the center of Bangkok’s Chinatown, the Ong Ang Canal served as a crucial trade lifeline during the 18th century. Over time, it became severely polluted and even earned the reputation of being the city’s dirtiest canal.
Last month, as part of a broader government initiative to revitalize the canal, Siam Cement Group (SCG)—Thailand’s oldest cement firm—unveiled the country’s across its waters.
The bridge is part of SCG’s push to bring innovative construction materials to Southeast Asia, Surachai Nimlaor—who oversees the company’s cement and green solutions operations—stated in a Jan. 20 interview with .
The company first began applying 3D printing technology to construction in the early 2020s, including the 2023 build of the world’s in Saraburi, Thailand.
“When we use 3D printing, we can shorten construction timelines and create buildings with unique shapes that conventional builders may not be able to achieve,” Nimlaor says.
The process involves creating a digital model, slicing it for the 3D printer, and then letting the printer’s robotic arms lay down concrete layer by layer to form structures. By eliminating the need for traditional molds or formwork, it enables freeform architecture featuring sculptural curves and undulating walls. SCG’s 3D-printed medical center, for example, has fluid facades that would be difficult to construct with conventional cast concrete.
This technology could be especially valuable for Thailand, where an aging population and a workforce wary of construction jobs are shrinking the sector’s available labor pool. Nimlaor explains that the industry has been forced to rely on foreign workers from neighboring countries like Cambodia and Myanmar. (According to 2025 data from Cambodia’s Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, there are , many of whom work in construction.)
Still, Nimlaor admits that 3D-printed buildings are often only one or two storeys tall, as taller structures introduce “material constraints around structural loads and stability.”
Thailand’s First Cement Enterprise
SCG was founded in 1913 to build Bangkok’s first cement plant, under the orders of then-King Rama VI. Over the following century, the company expanded to focus on three core businesses: cement and building materials, chemicals, and packaging.
Today, SCG is Thailand’s largest building materials company, with a 2024 revenue of $14.5 billion. It , which ranks the region’s largest companies by revenue. SCG has also expanded into other parts of Southeast Asia, including packaging operations in Malaysia and a petrochemical plant in Vietnam.
Sustainability in the Construction Industry
Beyond 3D printing, SCG is also developing low-carbon cement, addressing an industry that accounts for roughly , according to the World Economic Forum.
SCG is working to formulate cement produced using biomass, such as wood. This cuts carbon emissions from the production process by as much as 20% per ton, Nimlaor claims. SCG now exports its low-carbon cement to the U.S. and Australia, where developers increasingly prefer materials that meet ESG standards.
“ESG has become a very strong driver in the global market,” he explains. “Many companies now have clear carbon-reduction targets and sustainability commitments.”
SCG hopes to launch the third-generation of its low-carbon cement, which would cut production carbon emissions by up to 40%, but Nimlaor expresses hope that they can eventually reduce emissions by up to 90%.
Looking forward, SCG aims to continue pushing the boundaries in creating greener construction materials. “Sustainability and business growth must go together,” he concludes.