World Earthquake alert : M 7.7 :MYANMAR (BURMA), Fri, 28 Mar 2025 06:20:58

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Criminal charges could be filed against Italian-Thai Development (ITD) for the collapse of the State Audit Office in Bangkok's Chatuchak area, according to Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit.

In the meantime, ITD's shares dropped by 26.92%, or 0.07 baht, to 0.19 baht. The company is part of the joint venture responsible for constructing the building, with China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) as the other partner.

Suriya said that criminal penalties could be imposed on ITD, similar to the case of the collapse of the Rama III-Dao Khanong Expressway during construction on Rama II Road, which resulted in six deaths and 24 injuries. The police have already been notified to take legal action. If negligence is proven, those responsible could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht for causing deaths, or up to three years in prison and a 60,000-baht fine for causing serious injuries, excluding any civil liabilities.

Regarding whether ITD should be blacklisted from future state contracts due to repeated incidents, Suriya explained that while current contracts include penalties for delays, they do not address safety issues. As a result, discussions with the Comptroller General’s Department have led to a new provision: if accidents causing injury or death occur under a contract, points will be deducted. If the points fall below a certain threshold, the contractor will be blacklisted. This rule will apply to new contracts, and safety measures will be included in future agreements.

Regarding the collapsed building, Suriya stated that under the current rules, it does not meet the criteria for blacklisting, but the matter will be reviewed.

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #EarthquakeThailand #Earthquake #Earthquakes #ตึกถล่ม #ตึกถล่มจตุจักร #ตึกสตงถล่ม

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1906684933596496238

[Ravenlocke]

Translated text:
Earthquake in Myanmar, Italian-Thai company among the builders of the collapsed skyscraper in Bangkok - Il Fatto Quotidiano

https://ilfattoquotidiano.it/2025/03...box=1743335602


https://x.com/fattoquotidiano/status...14071596499151

Text:
Italian Thai Development said it has mobilized engineers and machinery to assist government agencies following the collapse of the under-construction 30-story State Audit Office building in Bangkok's Chatuchak area.

In a statement, the company, part of the ITD-CREC joint venture, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and those injured in the incident. The building was being developed by Italian-Thai Development and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand).

The company said it will support all affected parties and take immediate action to restore normalcy. It is also expediting assistance to the victims, including compensation for the deceased's families and medical care for the injured. The ITD-CREC joint venture has insurance coverage of 2.14 billion baht, which includes protection against natural disasters and third-party liability up to 100 million baht.

They stated that they are confident this incident will not impact its other projects.

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #EarthquakeThailand #Earthquake #Earthquakes #ตึกถล่ม #ตึกถล่มจตุจักร #ตึกสตงถล่ม

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1906612932471103510

[Ravenlocke]

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand...gkok-high-rise


Dozens of workers trapped in collapsed Bangkok high-rise

A mushroom cloud of dust and debris swept through the streets of northern Bangkok on Friday as panicked residents ran for their lives after an under-construction skyscraper came crashing down following a powerful earthquake.

The construction site of a new 30-storey government building quickly turned into a disaster scene, with people jumping into cars to escape or shrieking as they fled on foot.

Workers in hardhats and orange hi-vis jackets were engulfed by dust as the concrete stack fell, with dozens who couldn’t get away trapped under the rubble.

Rescuers at the collapse site were dwarfed by an enormous mound of rubble and tangled metal struts, just metres from the bustling Chatuchak Market.

Eighty-one people were known to be trapped in the rubble and three had been confirmed dead, Deputy Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said on Friday afternoon.

The Narenthorn Centre at the National Institute for Emergency Medicine reported at 6.40pm that a total of 68 people were injured, five of them critically. They were sent to seven hospitals in the area.

A report said there were about 400 people working at the construction site, both Thai and foreign workers. The injured were being transported to nearby hospitals in Bangkok.

The building, located on an 11-rai site on Kamphaeng Phet Road, was being built for the State Audit Office, said deputy auditor-general Sutthipong Boonnithi, who was present at the scene.

Work began on the 2.1-billion-baht building in 2020 and work was 30% complete. The construction had reached its highest floor.

The main contractor for the project is ITD-CREC, a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway No 1 (Thailand). Inspections were the responsibility of a joint venture comprising PN Synchroniz, W and Associates Group and KP Consultants and Management, Mr Sutthipong said.

Mr Phumtham said Friday’s seismic event was unprecedented in Bangkok in the past 100 years and would require extensive follow-up.

“Surveys will have to be conducted on hospitals, schools and temples to see whether there are cracks or unsecured structures that are at risk of collapsing,” he said.

“Bangkok is a concern because the land is muddy and vulnerable. Preliminary inspections have found that there are several spots where buildings have cracks.” (Story continues below)

An artist’s conception shows the building that was under construction for the State Audit Office in Bangkok.

Workers and shoppers flee

The 7.7-magnitude quake violently shook buildings across Bangkok — where strong tremors are almost unheard of — leaving workers and shoppers rushing into the street in shock.

“At first, I thought I was sick — like I was getting dizzy or about to faint. Then I noticed the lanterns were moving,” said an office worker who fled her building.

Dramatic video showed the tremor rocking a high-rise hotel, with water from its rooftop pool whipping over the building’s edge.

“I was shopping inside a mall when I noticed some signs moving, so I quickly ran outside,” said Attapong Sukyimnoi, a broker. “I knew I had to get to an open space — it was instinct.”

In Siam Square, schoolchildren were terrified when the quake shook Siamscape, a mixed-use building that also houses tutoring schools. Some structures collapsed and cracks formed in the ceiling and walls. The children were trapped in the building for a while, according to a post on the X account #แผ่นดินไหว, but were all evacuated out safely later.

In Klong Toey district, hundreds of people were evacuated from the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC), where the National Book Fair was being held, when powerful shaking was felt.

The fair has been closed to the public for now, according to the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand.

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
BREAKING: It has emerged that Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt last year requested Bangkok Metropolitan Council a budget of 60 million baht to have engineers monitor and inspect the construction of hi-rise buildings to ensure that they follow the Term of Reference (TOR) and are safe but the request was rejected in July, 2024.
In a viral clip on TikTok, Chadchart told the council this will be a wise use of budget but many councillors took turn rejecting it with one woman ccluncil member saying Bangkok is not a risk of damage from earthquake. #Thailand #Bangkok #Chadchart #ChinaRailwayNumber10 #Italthai #สตง #แผ่นดินไหว #ตึกถล่ม #ชัชชาติ

https://x.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1907298291920093229

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
The steel used in the construction of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Chatuchak came from Sin Ker Yuan, a company which was charged in January for producing substandard steel.

Previous investigation by the Ministry of Industry revealed that the rebar produced by the company, located in Ban Khai District, Rayong, did not meet required standards, particularly affecting its strength. The ministry seized 2,441 tons of non-compliant steel, valued at approximately 49.2 million baht, and announced plans to take legal action against the company in January.

Although the company holds a license from the Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI), it was found to have sourced raw materials from unregistered suppliers and produced steel with a chemical composition that does not meet the standards.

While the company had TISI certifications for round steel (TIS 20-2559) and rebar (TIS 24-2559) at SD 40 and SD 50 quality levels, testing by the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand in January revealed that the rebar failed to meet two key criteria: the height of the rib, which affects bonding with concrete, and the boron content, which weakens the steel’s toughness and may reduce its tensile strength.

The company was given 30 days to correct the issue or risk losing its license, and was also ordered to recall any steel products already sold.

Sin Ker Yuan's directors, Jianqi Chen, Su Longchen, and Sompan Pankaeo, were set to be charged for violations related to producing products that do not meet standards. The penalties for these violations include up to 2 years in prison, fines of up to 2 million baht, or both. The company also faces charges for displaying a standard mark on products that do not meet the required standards, which carries the same penalties. Additionally, for selling products that do not meet standards, the penalties include up to 6 months in prison, fines of up to 500,000 baht, or both.

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #EarthquakeThailand #Earthquake #Earthquakes #ตึกถล่ม #ตึกถล่มจตุจักร #ตึกสตงถล่ม

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1906662052925714514

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Preliminary investigations into China Railway No. 10 Engineering Group, a subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned China State Railway Group, for the alleged use of Thai nominees to hold shares in the subsidiary, revealed that one of the three Thai shareholders in the subsidiary earns only about 10,000 baht per month.

Regarding the alleged bid-rigging, the latest count of state contracts secured by the subsidiary now stands at 29 contracts worth more than 27 billion baht, according to the Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

The subsidiary is under investigation by the DSI for its involvement in the construction of the collapsed State Audit Office building as part of the ITD-CREC joint venture, with Italian-Thai Development (ITD) as the other partner.

Apart from being investigated for allegedly using Thai nominees to hold shares and engaging in bid-rigging, the company is also being investigated for using substandard steel in the construction of the collapsed building, which was supplied to them by Xin Ke Yuan Steel. This Thai-Chinese company is also under investigation for allegedly using Thai nominees to hold shares, using over 7,000 fake tax invoices worth more than 200 million baht, violating a closure order related to charges of supplying substandard steel rebar, and stockpiling 43,000 tons of hazardous red dust.

DSI Chief Yutthana Praedam stated that initial findings into the case against China Railway No. 10 show three Thai nationals hold 51% of the shares in the company, though they may lack the financial means to do so. The three are Sopon Meechai, who holds 40.7997% of the shares; Prachuap Sirikhet, who holds 10.2%; and Manas Srianant, who holds 0.0003%. All three have been summoned for questioning by the DSI.

A search of Prachuap’s residence found that he left several days ago and has not returned. His wife stated she does not know his whereabouts but said he earns around 10,000 baht per month. Authorities have also been unable to locate Sopon and Manas. China Railway No. 10 is also linked to 13 other companies, which may be using Thai nominees to hold shares.

Further investigations into the alleged bid-rigging revealed that the company secured 29 contracts between 2019 and 2024, totaling 27.8 billion baht. Attention is currently focused on contracts awarded to the ITD-CREC joint venture, but the company is involved in 10 other joint ventures that also secured contracts.

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1908086602368520657

[Ravenlocke]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Text:
BREAKING: It has emerged that Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt last year requested Bangkok Metropolitan Council a budget of 60 million baht to have engineers monitor and inspect the construction of hi-rise buildings to ensure that they follow the Term of Reference (TOR) and are safe but the request was rejected in July, 2024.
In a viral clip on TikTok, Chadchart told the council this will be a wise use of budget but many councillors took turn rejecting it with one woman ccluncil member saying Bangkok is not a risk of damage from earthquake. #Thailand #Bangkok #Chadchart #ChinaRailwayNumber10 #Italthai #สตง #แผ่นดินไหว #ตึกถล่ม #ชัชชาติ

https://x.com/KhaosodEnglish/status/1907298291920093229

Text:

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) may reintroduce a budget proposal to install earthquake sensors in high-rise buildings after the Bangkok Council rejected it last year.

The proposal, submitted by Deputy Governor Wisanu Subsompon, was voted down on September 11, 2024.

Chadchart said the budget might be proposed again, as its importance was not widely recognized at the time. He noted that this was understandable since a major earthquake had not occurred for a long time. However, after the recent earthquake, perspectives may have changed. The proposal could be resubmitted this year, in the 2026 fiscal year, or through the central budget. The cost is relatively low at 9 million baht, and if possible, the project may be expanded beyond the five hospitals initially planned.

Chadchart said modern technology is now more affordable, making it easier to analyze data. Installing monitoring devices in BMA buildings, government agencies, and private buildings would provide more data and boost public confidence.

During the meeting last year, Chadchart also stressed the need for more project supervisors in large-scale, high-investment projects to ensure construction meets standards. For example, reinforcing steel must be inspected before pouring concrete, as it cannot be checked afterward. A supervisor should always be on-site to oversee the work.

He said some council members may argue that many hospitals lack project supervisors, but Chadchart pointed to delays at Lat Krabang Hospital and Taksin Hospital as examples. He said spending 60 million baht on supervision for a 3-billion-baht hospital project is a worthwhile investment to ensure timely completion and quality.

According to reports, the project to install earthquake sensors in six high-rise buildings includes:

- Thaninopparat Building at Bangkok City Hall (Din Daeng), 37 floors
- 72nd Anniversary Building at Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital, 24 floors
- Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharat Building and Thonburi Srimahasamut Building at Taksin Hospital, 17 and 20 floors, respectively
- Phetcharat Building at Vajira Hospital, 19 floors
- Kuakarun Faculty of Nursing, Navamindradhiraj University, 24 floors

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #EarthquakeThailand #ตึกถล่ม #ตึกถล่มจตุจักร #ตึกสตงถล่ม

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1907347115095011503

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1907318955171316036

Text:

The Earthquake-Damaged Buildings Inspection and Assessment Center under the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, in collaboration with engineering organizations and 110 private-sector volunteer engineers, has been assessing buildings reported damaged by the recent earthquake.

Inspections have been categorized into three groups: government buildings, high-rises and commercial buildings, and residential structures.

Government Buildings:

This category includes hospitals, schools, and government offices in Bangkok.

Since March 28, inspectors have assessed 367 government buildings, with the following results:

- 334 buildings are safe for use (green).
- 30 buildings have moderate damage but remain usable (yellow).
- 3 buildings have been deemed unsafe and closed (red).

Additionally, one skybridge has been closed due to structural concerns.

High-Rises and Commercial Buildings:

This category includes hotels, condominiums, dormitories, and shopping malls, which are already subject to routine safety inspections. Owners have been advised to conduct post-earthquake assessments following official guidelines.

Since March 31, city officials have ordered 11,000 private buildings to undergo inspections, with 112 completed so far.

Residential and General Buildings:

This category covers houses, townhouses, and commercial shophouses in Bangkok. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is managing inspections and assistance requests via the Traffy Fondue platform. As of April 1, residents have reported 15,514 cases, with 13,612 resolved.

For earthquake-damaged buildings outside Bangkok, the Department of Public Works has instructed provincial offices to conduct inspections in coordination with local engineers and volunteers. Special attention has been given to hospitals and government offices.

In 76 provinces, 3,008 buildings have been inspected:

- 2,796 buildings are safe for use (green).
- 181 buildings have moderate damage but remain usable (yellow).
- 31 buildings have been deemed unsafe and closed (red).

Total Buildings Inspected (March 28 – April 1): 3,375

- 3,130 buildings are safe for use (green).
- 211 buildings have moderate damage but remain usable (yellow).
- 34 buildings have been declared unsafe and closed (red).

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #ตรวจตึก #EarthquakeThailand #Earthquake #Earthquakes

[Update] The three buildings in Bangkok declared unsafe by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning are:

- Thossaminthathiwat Building at Rajavithi Hospital
- Revenue Department Building in Ari
- Immigration Bureau Building in Muang Thong Thani

Access to all three buildings has been temporarily suspended. Engineers will inspect and repair them to ensure they are safe before they can be used again.

#Thailand #Bangkok #แผ่นดินไหว #ตรวจตึก #EarthquakeThailand #Earthquake #Earthquakes

https://x.com/ThaiEnquirer/status/1907374929601081632

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/domdyer70/status/1907763346977280397

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/CultureWar2020/status/1906007569535320064

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/DebashisforU/status/1908597339184652697

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/IrrawaddyNews/status/1910239460731830358

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/IrrawaddyNews/status/1909885589299818802

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/IrrawaddyNews/status/1909829836090359936

https://www.irrawaddy.com/business/m...-recovery.html

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Warn US Tariffs Imperil Quake Recovery
AFP

YANGON—Myanmar’s garment manufacturers have warned that US tariffs threaten to hobble the country’s recovery from a devastating earthquake, as the death toll rose to 3,645 on Tuesday.

US President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs will see the Southeast Asian country hit with a 44 percent tax on US imports as it reels from last month’s tremor which razed thousands of homes, schools and monasteries in its central belt.

Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun said on Tuesday evening that 148 people remained missing from the March 28 quake as fatalities hit 3,645, with 5,017 people injured.

The Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association (MGMA) said the tariffs due to take effect from Wednesday were causing “considerable concern” in an industry employing more than 500,000 people, mostly young women.

“Amid Myanmar’s current challenging context, the new tariffs will increase the vulnerability of Myanmar businesses that have been struggling to stay afloat,” the group said in a statement on Monday evening.

“The recent devastating earthquake… will only exacerbate the many challenges confronting Myanmar businesses and communities,” it added.

Bilateral trade was worth an estimated US$734 million last year, with Myanmar exports worth $656.5 million—down 23.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the Office of the US Trade Representative.

The earthquake has compounded the economic woes of the country gripped by a civil war since the military seized power in a 2021 coup.

With the junta at the helm, Myanmar has become internationally isolated and sanctioned while its territory has split into areas controlled by the military, anti-coup guerillas and ethnic armed factions.

Half the population of 51 million live in poverty while more than 3.5 million people are displaced.

The MGMA asked the United States to consider “a more lenient rate in light of the country’s multiple crises”.

Myanmar has already been hit hard by Trump’s overhaul of Washington’s foreign policy.

In one of his first acts back in office, he paused a refugee scheme through which Myanmar citizens fleeing the war-torn country ranked among the largest number of beneficiaries in recent years.

Trump’s decision to eviscerate Washington’s humanitarian budget—spearheaded by his top donor and the world’s richest man Elon Musk—has also battered the nation.

The World Food Program said it was forced to slash vital aid to 1 million people in Myanmar starting this month after the cuts contributed to “critical funding shortfalls”.

[Ravenlocke]

May 14, China just shipped its 14th humanitarian aid supplies to Myanmar

Text:

When the world has forgotten, China is still shipping aid.

The 14th batch of humanitarian supplies for the deadly earthquake was handed over to Myanmar yesterday.

https://x.com/XH_Lee23/status/1923026209278931329

[Bill Ryan]

Copying this post by Bluegreen on his thread:

~~~

First Time On Camera: Fault Line Splits Earth



Pulse-like rupture and curved slip - Analysis of Myanmar earthquake rupture

Published 18th July 2025 (3:12)

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=dbEYe65eDdw

Rupture propagation is notoriously difficult to observe, as earthquakes large enough to rupture Earth's surface are relatively rare, and they travel at several kilometers per second. In this unique video, we can observe a pulse of slip of the Sagaing Fault as an earthquake rupture propagates past a CCTV camera during the 2025 Myanmar earthquake. The cartoon below the footage is a schematic representation showing the relationship between the traveling earthquake rupture, the ground shaking, and the movement seen in the video. In particular this movie illustrates how the sideways motion you see in the video is actually a pulse propagating laterally along the Sagaing Fault.