BANGKOK — The Sagaing Fault earthquake, located 1,100 kilometers from Bangkok, triggered 12 aftershocks, affecting northern Thailand and the capital. However, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra announced that building damage in Bangkok was limited to structures under construction.
After rushing back from Phuket to Bangkok, the Prime Minister chaired a meeting with relevant agencies to monitor the earthquake centered in Myanmar and its tremors affecting Thailand. She announced that people can now return to their residences, as building damage was limited to structures under construction, while buildings in Bangkok were built to standard and could withstand even stronger earthquakes.
She noted that the Myanmar earthquake was followed by approximately 12 aftershocks, with the initial quake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, causing continuous effects on Thai people in both the northern region and Bangkok. She emphasized that this was a land-based earthquake, not occurring at sea, so there is absolutely no tsunami risk.
BTS Skytrain and underground metro services will return to normal on Saturday morning. Today (March 28), the Ministry of Transport has arranged additional public buses to serve people from evening through the night until morning.
Additionally, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has extended park opening hours and is providing water and food services. An operations center has been established at the Giant Swing, and 2,000 volunteer engineers will help inspect building safety.
According to an interview with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at 8:00 PM on March 28, rescue teams have already recovered 8 bodies and rescued approximately 12-13 people.
They have received reports of more than 110 missing people, suggesting the death toll may rise further. Special techniques must be used to retrieve the bodies because working too hastily could cause the debris to shift and collapse again.
Fault Quake Felt Across 24 Thai Provinces
Pichit Sombatmak, Director-General of the Department of Mineral Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, stated that the epicenter of this earthquake occurred on the Sagaing Fault in Mandalay, just 16 kilometers northwest of Sagaing city in Myanmar, and approximately 1,100 kilometers from Bangkok.
This resulted in tremors being felt in many areas of Thailand, particularly in the Northern, Northeastern, Eastern, and Central regions, including Bangkok and its vicinity.
“The movement of the Sagaing Fault along the right-lateral strike-slip plane has a displacement rate of 2 centimeters per year. The Sagaing Fault previously caused a major earthquake in 1930 with a magnitude of 7.3, resulting in 500 deaths and extensive damage,” he said.
For this earthquake, tremors were felt across 24 provinces: in the North including Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Tak, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, Lampang, and Phitsanulok; in the Northeast including Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani; in the East including Chonburi; and in the Central region including Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Sawan, Ratchaburi, Lopburi, and Nakhon Nayok, as well as in Bangkok and its surrounding provinces including Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, and Nakhon Pathom.
Myanmar Declares State of Emergency
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand has been informed by the Royal Thai Embassy in Yangon about the earthquake on March 28th. Currently, there is widespread damage in many areas, and there may be aftershocks of magnitude 6-7 within 2-3 days and magnitude 4-5 within 7 days.
The Myanmar authorities have declared a state of emergency in the Sagaing Region, Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Naypyidaw, and northeastern Shan State. Thai nationals in Myanmar are advised to prepare emergency survival supplies sufficient for 3 days and keep important documents and cash on hand.
At present, the Embassy has not received any reports of Thai nationals being injured or killed in this incident.
All Thai nationals in Myanmar are urged to closely follow news updates from the Embassy and Myanmar authorities. Thai nationals affected by the situation can contact the Embassy at +95 9880916795 or through the Embassy’s Facebook page.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to monitor the situation closely and wishes for the safety of all Thai nationals in Myanmar and all Thai brothers and sisters.
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