The number of fatalities from the collapse of an under-construction skyscraper, brought down by a powerful earthquake in Myanmar in Bangkok, has reached eight, Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced late last night.
Approximately 100 people remain missing and are feared to be trapped beneath the rubble of the 30-storey government office building in Chatuchak district. Following a visit to the scene, Anutin reported that 12 workers had been rescued and transported to nearby hospitals.
Rescue teams, soldiers, and sniffer dogs worked into the night, continuing to search through the wreckage hours after the earthquake struck Myanmar and resonated across Thailand, including the capital city.
Families of the missing have gathered near the site, anxiously waiting for news and holding onto hope that their loved ones might still be found. Some relatives travelled long distances to be closer to the scene after hearing reports of the disaster.
The collapsed structure, now a towering heap of concrete and steel, presents a daunting challenge for rescue efforts. Witnesses described workers covered in dust as the building crumbled, leaving those unable to escape buried beneath the debris. Nearby, the bustling Chatuchak Market stands in stark contrast to the devastation.
Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai confirmed on Friday afternoon that 81 people were known to be trapped, with three deaths already confirmed. The Narenthorn Centre at the National Institute for Emergency Medicine reported that 68 individuals were injured, including five critically. Injured workers were taken to several hospitals in the area for treatment.
Reports indicate around 400 workers, both Thai and foreign, were present at the construction site when the disaster occurred. The building, located on an 11-rai property along Kamphaeng Phet Road, was intended to serve as the State Audit Office’s headquarters, according to deputy auditor-general Sutthipong Boonnithi, who was on-site.
Construction on the 2.1-billion-baht project began in 2020, and the building had reached its top floor, with roughly 30% of the work completed. The main contractor for the project is ITD-CREC, a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway No 1 (Thailand). Inspection responsibilities were assigned to a team comprising PN Synchroniz, W and Associates Group, and KP Consultants and Management.
Phumtham described the earthquake as an unprecedented event in Bangkok’s history over the past century. He emphasized the need for extensive safety evaluations of hospitals, schools, and temples to identify cracks or structural weaknesses that could pose risks.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake shook buildings across Bangkok, a city unaccustomed to such strong seismic activity. Workers and shoppers fled to the streets in fear, with several structures sustaining damage.
In Siam Square, students were reportedly frightened when the quake caused visible damage to Siamscape, a mixed-use building that includes tutoring centres. Cracks appeared in walls and ceilings, trapping the children temporarily. All were safely evacuated later, according to posts shared on social media.
Meanwhile, in Klong Toey district, hundreds of attendees at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre were evacuated during the National Book Fair after significant shaking was felt.
Earthquakes Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand, is not typically associated with frequent or devastating earthquakes due to its location far from major tectonic plate boundaries. However, the city has experienced tremors and minor seismic activity in the past, often as a result of distant earthquakes in neighboring regions.
For instance, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, which triggered a catastrophic tsunami, was felt as mild shaking in Bangkok, though its epicenter was over 1,000 kilometers away near Sumatra, Indonesia. Another notable event occurred in 1983 when a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck western Thailand near the Myanmar border, causing minor tremors in Bangkok.
More recently, the 2014 Chiang Rai earthquake (6.3 magnitude) in northern Thailand was also faintly perceptible in the capital. These events highlight that while Bangkok itself is not prone to significant seismic activity, its low-lying geography and dense urban development could amplify risks if a stronger quake were to occur nearby.
Historically, the city’s earthquake records remain sparse, with most incidents being secondary effects rather than locally sourced.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
