BANGKOK – Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed on Sunday that at least 18 people have died following the powerful earthquake that hit Myanmar on Friday. In addition, 78 individuals are still missing.
Among the deceased were 10 workers who lost their lives at the State Audit Office building in Chatuchak district. The building, which was under construction, collapsed during the quake. Rescuers recovered the 10th body from the site on Saturday.
Out of the remaining workers, 78 are still unaccounted for, and eight people are being treated for injuries sustained from the collapse of the 30-storey structure.
Elsewhere in the city, eight other fatalities were reported, including incidents at a condo construction site where a crane fell due to the tremors. Near Silom Road, three individuals were injured when an elevator’s cables snapped during the quake.
Rescue efforts at the State Audit Office site continued on Sunday. Crews used a scanning device provided by the Israeli Embassy in Bangkok to help locate survivors trapped in the rubble.
Governor Chadchart also stated that about 80% of debris blocking a key exit ramp on the Din Daeng expressway had been cleared. If the work isn’t finished by day’s end, City Hall might issue a work-from-home advisory to ease potential traffic jams.
The earthquake also caused disruptions to the city’s electric rail network. While most lines resumed service by Sunday, the MRT Pink Line monorail remained suspended due to power supply damage.
City Hall has received over 9,500 reports of building damage through the Traffy Fondue app. Engineers are being deployed to inspect these complaints, according to the governor. He also urged owners of large buildings, hotels, theatres, and billboards to assess their structures’ safety within two weeks. This applies to:
- Buildings over 23 metres tall
- Structures with at least 10,000 square metres of space
- Venues for at least 500 people or covering over 1,000 square metres
- Theatres
- Hotels with 80+ rooms
- Service parlours with areas of at least 200 square metres
- Condos and apartment buildings with over 5,000 square metres of space
- Billboards taller than 15 metres or larger than 50 square metres
- Rooftop billboards covering more than 25 square metres
In response to the collapse at the State Audit Office, Thailand’s Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation to be completed within seven days. Four Chinese workers were questioned after being caught removing documents from the area. These documents, reportedly related to contractors and subcontractors, were seized by police. The workers claimed they were collecting the files to process insurance claims.
The State Audit Office building was recently constructed as a part of a 2.1-billion-baht project by a consortium including Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway No.10 Engineering Group. Interior Minister Anutin emphasized that the structure, given its newness, should have been designed to withstand earthquakes. The investigation will focus on architects, construction supervisors, and builders. Both Thai and Chinese firms involved in the project may bear responsibility.
A Chinese expert specializing in tunnel and earthquake collapses, sent by China’s Ministry of Emergency Management, inspected the site alongside Bangkok officials. The expert confirmed the Chinese contractor was prohibited from accessing the site during the investigation.
Minister Anutin highlighted that 95% of buildings withstood the 7.7-magnitude quake, making the collapse of this newly constructed building even more concerning. Rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate trapped individuals as quickly as possible.
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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.
