(April 3, 2025, 9:00 a.m.) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and relevant agencies continue rescuing victims of the collapsed State Audit Office building, hoping to find survivors.
Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt announced the rescue progress at the incident command centre at Chatuchak District Office, following the collapse of the 30-storey building in the district on March 28.
Explaining the rescue strategy, Chadchart stated that rescuers used heavy machinery to clear rubble from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, followed by the deployment of a rescue team and K-9 dogs to search for survivors.
At 10:00 p.m., a team entered a hole and heard a woman responding to the rescuers’ calls. Using a scanner, they detected what appeared to be a human body. They then inserted sonar equipment into the hole and asked the survivor to make a sound. The rescuers heard a knock in response, he explained.
Chadchart said the rescue team still had hope of finding survivors in the area near the fire escape, in line with experts’ assumptions and his own intuition. “We discovered the fire escape yesterday, so rescuers are putting all their efforts into bringing this survivor out of the rubble,” he said.
However, he highlighted a challenge: three thick concrete slabs, weighing approximately 60 tonnes, had to be removed overnight. Officials successfully cleared them and began digging, estimating that the area where vital signs were detected is around three metres deep, he said.
Chadchart expressed gratitude to volunteers and international rescuers for their tireless efforts overnight, stating that the rescue operation is still ongoing. In Area B, officials halted using heavy machinery at 1:00 p.m. to prevent further risk while listening for voices of survivors calling for help, he added.
He emphasised that the BMA has not lost hope, even though vital signs were unclear. “We have been digging holes overnight,” he said, adding that medical teams stationed in the area, under police and military supervision, are ready to care for survivors.
“I believe that what we are doing is on the right track. I believe this will boost the morale of the team and provide a small glimmer of hope that allows us to keep moving forward,” Chadchart said.
The Governor of Bangkok added that the BMA has records of workers assigned to each storey of the collapsed building and noted that survivors were found on the highest floor. “If we find survivors in one area, we may find more nearby,” he said.
He explained that, according to the building’s layout, most people, regardless of their location, would attempt to escape via the fire exit. “If they were working on the fifth floor, which is connected to the parking lot, they would have been able to escape. However, if they ran but were unable to get out in time, they would have been trapped in that area,” he said.
Chadchart underscored the difficulty in locating openings due to the presence of two to three layers of concrete stacked like pancakes. “Even though it is already the seventh day, officials remain highly motivated and ready to help whenever needed,” he said, adding that the BMA is providing updates based on verified information from the scene.
He noted that officials have been instructed to prepare protective equipment for rain and sun, along with cutting and concrete impact tools, in anticipation of the strenuous work ahead. Additionally, doctors and nurses have been on standby since last night, as those trapped under the rubble may have high potassium levels in their blood, he added.
“Doctors have prepared an emergency treatment plan for the worst-case scenario. But we are hoping for a miracle. Even though it has not happened yet, we must continue working and expanding our search efforts,” he said.
For those still trapped beneath the debris, if they are alive, heat may not be the biggest issue, as ventilation exists, and conditions are not as hot as above ground. The main concern is dehydration, he added.
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