(March 29, 2025) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is addressing two urgent priorities following the recent earthquake in the capital.
Chadchart Sittipunt, Governor of Bangkok, outlined the situation and the immediate tasks at hand at the BMA Incident Command Centre, located in the Rattanakosin Room at Bangkok City Hall (Sao Chingcha) in Phra Nakhon district.

He stated that two critical tasks must be undertaken. The first is the rescue operation at a collapsed building in Chatuchak district. He confirmed that the BMA is making every effort in the rescue mission while adapting strategies to suit the evolving situation.

Heavy machinery has been deployed to lift the collapsed floors and search for survivors, he explained.
Citing data from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), he reported that 15 vital signs have been detected at the site. He emphasised that the BMA will continue rescue operations without pause to save as many lives as possible.

Chadchart said the second urgent task is addressing public concerns regarding the safety of buildings in Bangkok, stressing that the BMA has a responsibility to restore confidence in structural integrity.

He noted that approximately 130 volunteer engineers have been dispatched to inspect buildings.

For publicly owned buildings, the Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning is overseeing inspections, in accordance with directives from Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

For privately owned buildings, the BMA and volunteer engineers are responsible for inspections. According to reports from City Hall’s Traffy Fondue application, around 2,000 people have lodged complaints regarding cracks.

The engineering team inspected approximately 700 buildings on March 29, focusing on inner Bangkok, where many high-rise structures are located. Chadchart noted that reports of cracks were far less common in the outer areas of the city. He expressed confidence that the earthquake situation would gradually stabilise.

The Governor of Bangkok stated that inspections should be expedited to alleviate public uncertainty, particularly among those working in tall buildings. He announced that the BMA would issue an order urging building owners to conduct safety assessments, believing they would take such measures seriously.

He emphasised that the inspection of around 700 buildings would prioritise necessity and public confidence, adhering to scientific principles.

He also urged people to remain calm, highlighting that only one building had collapsed, and it was under construction. Multiple factors contributed to the collapse, he noted.
“Despite the bad news, there is good news—no other buildings collapsed,” he remarked, adding that Thailand’s Building Control Act mandates earthquake-resistant design.
Chadchart further stated that Bangkok was also experiencing traffic congestion in some areas, including inbound and outbound routes in the Din Daeng area, which fall under the responsibility of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT).
He called on relevant agencies to urgently address traffic congestion, noting that the BMA could not resolve the issue.

He also confirmed that BTS and MRT mass transit systems had resumed operations, helping to ease traffic conditions.
Approximately 700 people concerned about the recent earthquake took refuge in public parks that remained open overnight on March 28. He added that the BMA and the private sector provided them with food and water.
“This is a testament to the resilience of the Thai people—during crises, we come together to support one another,” he said.

He announced that the parks would remain open 24 hours on March 29 for those who still felt uneasy. Additionally, a “Music in the Park” event would be held to help people feel more at ease in an open space, with further details to be announced in due course.

Chadchart reiterated that the overall earthquake situation was gradually improving and that it was the BMA’s duty to restore public confidence.
He highlighted that the recent earthquake was one of the strongest in decades. However, only one building, which was unfinished, collapsed, and no other structures suffered significant damage.

“Please do not panic—the situation is steadily improving. The number of aftershocks is decreasing, and they are becoming weaker,” he reassured.

He noted that traffic conditions on the morning of March 29 remained manageable, as people had adjusted their travel plans, and it was also the weekend.
“Our main concern now is reopening the expressway as soon as possible,” he said, adding that the BMA was working closely with EXAT to ensure full operational capacity by March 31.

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