A massive, but rarely remembered, earthquake hit Bangkok, toppling a 30-storey skyscraper. Tragically, it has cost at least 89 lives directly as a result. On March 28, the city was rocked by the severe tremors. This was caused by the strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit under the country of Myanmar. The building, which was under construction for three years, was designed to house the State Audit Office and stood prominently opposite the Chatuchak market, a popular tourist attraction.
The task of constructing the building was taken on by Italian-Thai Development PLC, one of Thailand’s largest construction firms. This local project, considered groundbreaking, had a cost of over two billion Thai baht (over $59 million / £45 million). At the time of the collapse, over 400 workers were present on-site. Eyewitnesses described the chaos and hellish destruction that ensued as the earthquake’s wrath unleashed. Their iconic blue glass and steel structure collapsed into heaps of debris.
In the wake of the disaster, investigators found fatal structural defects within the lift shaft of the building. These alarming discoveries have raised grave concerns for the safety regulations put in place during the construction phase. Premchai Karnasuta, pictured at the scene in February during search and rescue operations following the collapse, is a former president of Italian-Thai Development PLC.
As the search and rescue efforts proceed, officials have still confirmed at least seven people are unaccounted for among the rubble. Search and rescue efforts continue to find these missing individuals and support those working with the families impacted.
The magnitude of the tragedy has captured public attention, prompting discussions about building safety regulations and emergency preparedness in urban areas prone to seismic activity. The investigations are still active, however. In the wake of this tragedy, stakeholders are calling for a systemic examination of construction practices to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.