Confusion and panic gripped Bangkok on Monday as office workers fled buildings over reports of fresh tremors. Government officials clashed over the cause, with the PM denying further quakes while the Public Works Department confirmed 15 aftershocks from Myanmar.
Monday turned into a day of chaos in Bangkok as workers came streaming out in the morning following widespread reports of further tremors. Certainly, the reports came from government ministries, courts and banks. All reported new tremors from 9:30 am until 11 am. However, in response, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was adamant that there was no further earthquake impact from Myanmar’s Sagaing fault. She assured the public that her information came from the Meteorological Department at the Digital Economy and Society Ministry. Later, her views were echoed by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt. Nevertheless, other government officials, including Minister of Labour Permanent Secretary Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut, reported building tremors while the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning stated that there had been 15 consecutive aftershocks from 8:46 and 10:28 am after another earthquake in Myanmar.
Certainly, Monday was a day of confusion and chaos in Bangkok. From 9:30 am reports began to flood in of further tremors and indeed noises at key office buildings in the heart of the metropolis.
Indeed these incidents led to decisions at a senior level from government agencies, departments and ministries to order evacuations of buildings.
Afterwards, between midday and 1 pm crowds of office workers were seen emerging into the streets on their way home.
Evacuations as government agencies, departments and ministries reacted to reported tremors and chaos
For instance, by 12:20 pm, traffic on Rama IV Road, under the Rama IV Expressway to Witthayu was congested.
Meanwhile, workers converged on Ratchadaphisek Road, Huai Khwang as they exited a growing list of tall skyscrapers. At length, their numbers swelled as well as Silom Road, Phloen Chit Road, Surawong Road, and Sukhumvit Road.
Significantly, this came as Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra insisted that the Meteorological Department had assured the government that Thailand was not impacted by earthquake activity. Later, this was also echoed by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
Both leaders, however, emphasised the need for supervision and inspection of building safety.
Nonetheless, whether it was hysteria or something else, there were reports of tremors that were definite. During the day, they came from a wide variety of buildings. Before the avalanche, the first report came from the Criminal Court building on Ratchadaphisek Road. Certainly, officials there reported loud noises, building damage and tremors.
Widespread tremors reported across buildings with loud noises and falling masonry triggering evacuations
Afterwards, the whole government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road suffered another scare. Indeed, Deputy Minister of the Interior Sabida Thaiset visited the site.
Officials declared an aftershock had struck the building and it was evacuated. Nevertheless, following this, engineers gave the building the all-clear. This survey was carried out by the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning.
However, in contrast to the Prime Minister’s assertion, later Ms. Phongsana Yenying, Director-General of the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning had a different story.
At length, she revealed that the cause of the problems was 15 consecutive aftershocks measuring 2-3.4 on the Richter scale. At the same time, she specified that they occurred between 8:46 and 10:28 am. In short, these were aftershocks from the Sagaing fault in Myanmar which was struck on Monday by a 3.7 earthquake.
Department of Public Works confirms 15 consecutive aftershocks in response to building safety concerns
In the meantime, the problems at the Government complex on Chaeng Watthana Road were first reported at 9:20 am. Indeed, officers with the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) informed reporters in the press room of the building as they evacuated it.
Certainly, they said that Building A, like the Constitutional Court and Bankruptcy Court, was shaking. However, reporters did not themselves experience these tremors.
Subsequently, Police Lieutenant Colonel Soraj Klinphirom, Director of the Special Operations Division, Department of Special Investigation explained that the building had been tested on Saturday. Nevertheless, as a precaution, he advised all workers that they could leave and work from home for the day.
Later, Monday’s tremors were denied by officials who insisted any damage seen was caused by Friday’s earthquake impact.
Department of Special Investigation confirms evacuations after building shakes, later dismissed as earthquake impact from last Friday
Certainly, the vast array of tremor reports and danger reports on Monday are significant. At the same time, it has been confirmed that four of 200 government buildings are presently not being used. In short, they cannot be fully used because of damage.
These include the Revenue Department on Soi Aree in Bangkok, the Immigration Bureau headquarters in Muang Thong Thani, the Dasminthrathirat Building at Rajavithi Hospital in addition to Lerd Hospital.
At the same time, the panic and tremor reports on Monday were not limited to public sector buildings. The Government Housing Bank headquarters reported earthquake tremors and ordered an evacuation. Meanwhile, the next report of problems was the Soi 18.2 branch of Thanachart Bank on Phahon Yothin Road.
Indeed, their staff were urgently ordered to move out of the premises and work from home. Certainly, afterwards, employees were denied access back into the buildings on Monday. At length, this was to allow safety inspections to be carried out.
Government buildings and private sectors on the streets as employees ordered to work from home amid tremors
Then came the Prime Minister’s statement. “I want to reiterate that there are no aftershocks or anything that will affect Thailand or Bangkok, for sure,” Ms. Paetongtarn told reporters.
However, by that time the Police General Hospital had been evacuated. In turn, the Deputy Director-General Samart Muangsiri quickly addressed staff gathered outside. In short, he assured them that all was well and they could return to work.
Not so at the Ministry of Labour. Previously, the 15-floor building had suffered tremors and damage on Friday. Staff from his section were ordered not to report to work until Tuesday.
Significantly, on Monday, Permanent Secretary Mr. Boonsong Thapchaiyut announced that tremors had been felt on all floors of the building.
“The latest was around 10 am on March 31st, aftershocks followed, shaking every floor of the building. I was afraid that it would be dangerous, so I ordered all the staff on every floor to leave the building and work from home from today until April 1st,” Mr. Boonsong confirmed.
Ministry of Labour building confirms tremors with staff evacuated as aftershocks continued on March 31st
Later, he revealed the Department of Public Works would inspect the building to give it the all-clear. Furthermore, all members of the public were strictly forbidden from entering the structure pending these inspections.
In summary, there appearsed to be confusion across the government on Monday. At the same time, there was widespread alarm among thousands of workers who eventually left for home in the morning.
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In brief, whether the government’s information is wrong or people were suffering some sort of post-traumatic trauma from Friday, undoubtedly it has to be said that last Friday’s earthquake has left Bangkok in an uneasy state.
On Monday, indeed, the Ministry of Public Health warned of ‘Earthquake Drunk’ syndrome. In short, it said it’s a balance issue impacting people shocked previously by an earthquake.
At the same time, it is clear to see that the earthquake tremors on Friday have caused widespread damage.
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