Earthquake Rocks Bangkok: Building Collapses with 40 people inside

[Rolo89]

16 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

So, the BBC says this was a "flat slab" design, "which is no longer recommended in earthquake-prone areas". Pretty close to the same idea for the World Trade center buildings, to maximize open floor space by removing inner support beams. 

Crazy that it was approved for BKK with it's soft soil and having fault lines close enough to cause damage. 

 

Does dispell all those that claim new regs mean new buildings are safe.

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, newnative said:

     We are in Pattaya now but an engineer at our Bangkok condo went into our condo and took some photos of our damage and sent them to us.  As you said, just 'superficial harm'.  There were a couple of small, vertical cracks by the bedroom window and that was all he found.   The room is wallpapered and the cracks messed up the wallpaper a bit so that area will likely need to be re-wallpapered after the cracks are repaired.  We thought it would be a lot worse.  

How about the load bearing walls/pillars in the condo block,  carpark etc?

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, Rolo89 said:

New buildings that were supposted to withstand much stronger earthquakes were damaged to the extent of being uninhabitable.

 

BKK failed with a lot of damage. If this had of happened in Japan there would be minimal damage and back to normal quickly. Loads of lift shafts are ruined. There are huge bills and huge repairs coming for thousands of buildings. But who will pay it?

 

People aren't allowed to go back into the top left photo building, serious

[scubascuba3]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

Planning approval and start of construction before or after the seismic protection code introduced in late 2021 ?

 

Apparently all buildings completed from 2007 are earthquake proof

[MikeandDow]

13 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Apparently all buildings completed from 2007 are earthquake proof

A better word is Unknown    the almight baht can buy u anything  untill All the buildings are Inspected to the relvent codes it is Unknown

[xylophone]

On 3/29/2025 at 3:26 PM, Ralf001 said:

 

The construction of the State Audit Office building started in 2020.

At the time of collapse, it was 30% complete.

I saw a post stating that the building was started in 2020 and that something like 2 billion baht was allocated to it??

 

The reason I used the question marks was because over four years, the building has only been 30% completed, which seems very strange IMO – – why so long to complete a building like this when others can go up much more quickly?

 

My Thai daughter, a university educated (with honours) and very smart young woman has a few contacts in Bangkok and she told me that the rumour mill is suggesting that major corruption had taken place over those years and that's why the construction/structure was not sound enough to withstand the earthquake.

 

I did see somewhere else that soil liquefaction was thought partly to blame, and I have seen that in action in New Zealand and as I recall it collapses the buildings on it, and is unsuitable for future construction.

[Patong2021]

5 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

Buildings are not designed for slabs to carry the weight of collapsed columns and beams.

so we agree 🙂. and yes you made it easy for some to understand,

[Patong2021]

6 hours ago, Rolo89 said:

I can't see them holding the Chinese to account. There's too much money coming from them.

 

Chinese people behind the collapsed building were apparenly seen fleeing with lots of documents 

 

https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/bangkok/2850054

 

 

I saw that. Their excuse was that the files were needed  to make an insurance claim. 

The arrogance is  astounding.

[stevenl]

5 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

Thailand has a plethora of building code, safety  protocols, quality standards  are they implemented NO !! are they policed NO !!   you can get ANY approval you like !! the almight baht is king !!  the question you should be asking DID they police the codes and standards ? was they 3rd body inspections done ?  Did the materials meet the required standards  ect ??

 

3 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

how is my post thai bashing,  telling you to read the news, sorry if you are dislextic you need to medicate

Example of your thai bashing. Many more in this and other threads.

[MikeandDow]

43 minutes ago, stevenl said:

 

Example of your thai bashing. Many more in this and other threads.

If you think that telling the truth is Thai bashing  and stating facts and you are Uncomfortable with that tooo bad 

stop trying to be a mod !!   move on

[madone]

1 minute ago, MikeandDow said:

If you think that telling the truth is Thai bashing  and stating facts and you are Uncomfortable with that tooo bad 

stop trying to be a mod !!   move on

 

telling your truth, perhaps.

[Rolo89]

Earthquake proof apartment built in 2022: No one is allowed to live in there, people are allowed to line up to wait and enter to collect belongings. 

 

 

[Rolo89]

I agree with this post from reddit. Interesting times ahead with many buildings that were clearly not up to the spec they were supposted to be on paper.

 

Tokyo Japan 2011 versus BKK 2025 - damage

 

So I have the (mis?)fortune of having both experienced the March 2011 Japan-megaquake in Tokyo, and now this past one in Bangkok.

Some things that come to mind. Firstly, the Tokyo quake was much much stronger and lasted much longer, where the Bangkok one was far more mild and shorter.

*However*.. photos of the damage to some Bangkok buildings and condo towers is just incredible given how mild the quake actually was. A 5 or 6 strength as felt in Bangkok should not have caused damage anywhere to this level. Several 'new' condo buildings in Bangkok have severe structural pillar damage that will likely lead to towers being torn down as that is basically unrepairable..etc. (well, TIT, so maybe the damage will be filled with plaster and repainted 😉 ).

As well, it looks like the most severely damaged towers in Bangkok are the newer ones (that were supposedly built under more stringent quake standards) while those in built in the 90's sailed through the quake with little or no damage at all, including mine.

For comparison, in the Tokyo 2011 quake there was almost no damage anywhere even near what is being found in Bangkok buildings all over, and certainly no highrise building collapses or condemned modern buildings.

Thailand building methods, quake standards (and enforcement) have a very long way to go. This should motivate things in right direction going forward.

Like in Japan after the 1994 Kobe quake, once the new quake standards come in place (and are seen to be enforced), new condos will be expensive to buy, and the older ones prestandard/pre-enforcement will be highly discounted, as they are in Japan due to perceived lack of safety.

Interesting times ahead..

[josephbloggs]

30 minutes ago, Rolo89 said:

Earthquake proof apartment built in 2022: No one is allowed to live in there, people are allowed to line up to wait and enter to collect belongings. 

 

 

I wish people would stop posting these kind of things. Ceiling panels and wall surface cracks are absolutely to be expected and are accommodated under the latest building code.

If the condo is taking extra precaution until there's a full inspection then good for them - none of those look structural to me.

My kids' school evacuated on Friday. Nobody has been allowed back in since - all belongings are still there - until they can have an official inspection and sign off even though there is no visible damage other than superficial. School is closed tomorrow while the inspections happen. I applaud them for their diligence.

Ceiling panels, tiles falling off, or wall cracks are not serious issues. Those buildings took a huge jolting! Where do you draw the line? Is wallpaper peeling allowed? Doors needing realigning?

I'm not saying there are not shabby buildings in Bangkok that will be in trouble, but none of those pics look like it to me, so what is the point of posting?

[still kicking]

Bangkok Post - 7-day deadline for probe into Chinese-built high-rise collapse

[Rolo89]

2 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

absolutely to be expected and are accommodated under the latest building code.

If the condo is taking extra precaution until there's a full inspection then good for them - none of those look structural to me.

None of this happened in the last mega quake in Japan which was far stronger and longer. The older buildings in BKK held up far better with less damage and the new ones with more stringent standards did not. 

[josephbloggs]

9 minutes ago, Rolo89 said:

None of this happened in the last mega quake in Japan which was far stronger and longer. The older buildings in BKK held up far better with less damage and the new ones with more stringent standards did not. 

Of course - Japan has lived with much bigger earthquakes forever. This is the first one of this size to ever hit Bangkok. Superficial damage is not a major price to pay really. 

Time will tell if any buildings have to be condemned and, if so, when and how they were built. I would say it is true in most countries that old stuff was built better and stronger than new stuff - in the UK this is certainly true. But so far all I am seeing is superficial damage and not sure why people feel the need to post it to be honest. Ceiling tiles, wall tiles, wall cracks - not a big deal considering what could have been.

[Jiggo]

On 3/29/2025 at 6:02 PM, MikeandDow said:

Oh !!  and you have news that the crane was maned at the time

Oh, you can actually see someone from various videos oy oy 

[MikeandDow]

40 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

I wish people would stop posting these kind of things. Ceiling panels and wall surface cracks are absolutely to be expected and are accommodated under the latest building code.

If the condo is taking extra precaution until there's a full inspection then good for them - none of those look structural to me.

My kids' school evacuated on Friday. Nobody has been allowed back in since - all belongings are still there - until they can have an official inspection and sign off even though there is no visible damage other than superficial. School is closed tomorrow while the inspections happen. I applaud them for their diligence.

Ceiling panels, tiles falling off, or wall cracks are not serious issues. Those buildings took a huge jolting! Where do you draw the line? Is wallpaper peeling allowed? Doors needing realigning?

I'm not saying there are not shabby buildings in Bangkok that will be in trouble, but none of those pics look like it to me, so what is the point of posting?

Its called a Forum   people post there opinions  it maybe in your opinion Ceiling panels, tiles falling off, or wall cracks are not serious issues. but if you are not a strucural engineer thats all it is your opnion  

cracks are absolutely to be expected and are accommodated under the latest building code.

 I am a Quality manager for the construction Industry  and I have never seen a building code that allows cracks  i think i would have to call that BS

[Nick Carter icp]

4 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Its called a Forum   people post there opinions  it maybe in your opinion Ceiling panels, tiles falling off, or wall cracks are not serious issues. but if you are not a strucural engineer thats all it is your opnion  

 

   False ceilings moving isn't a problem , neither are cracks in the walls.

The problems arise when the structure is compromised and the building may collapse 

[MikeandDow]

1 minute ago, Nick Carter icp said:

 

   False ceilings moving isn't a problem , neither are cracks in the walls.

The problems arise when the structure is compromised and the building may collapse 

cracks in walls need to be Inspected to determin the extent, are the wall load bearing ?? by saying they do not matter can only be determined by a structural engineer and you are not that !

[josephbloggs]

9 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Its called a Forum   people post there opinions  it maybe in your opinion Ceiling panels, tiles falling off, or wall cracks are not serious issues. but if you are not a strucural engineer thats all it is your opnion  

cracks are absolutely to be expected and are accommodated under the latest building code.

 I am a Quality manager for the construction Industry  and I have never seen a building code that allows cracks  i think i would have to call that BS

Ha ha ha ha! You're a quality manager for the construction industry, of course you are! That is why you have posted nothing but nonsense in all these threads.

You have never seen a building code that allows for superficial cracks after a moderate earthquake? Really? Tell me what does DPT1301/1302-61allow for after an earthquake? What level of damage does it say is reasonable? It is there to maintain structural integrity after a quake, not to protect paintwork and ceiling tiles.

You are a funny man Mr Quality Manager.

 

[MikeandDow]

4 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Ha ha ha ha! You're a quality manager for the construction industry, of course you are! That is why you have posted nothing but nonsense in all these threads.

You have never seen a building code that allows for superficial cracks after a moderate earthquake? Really? Tell me what does DPT1301/1302-61allow for after an earthquake? What level of damage does it say is reasonable? It is there to maintain structural integrity after a quake, not to protect paintwork and ceiling tiles.

You are a funny man Mr Quality Manager.

 

 That is a Thai standard   and i dont work here in the Thai construction Industry thank god ! more in a western style industry were  they have safety and quality  and now you are changing its superficial cracks instead of cracks you need to be more specific when posting 

[Celsius]

54 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Ha ha ha ha! You're a quality manager for the construction industry, of course you are! That is why you have posted nothing but nonsense in all these threads.

You have never seen a building code that allows for superficial cracks after a moderate earthquake? Really? Tell me what does DPT1301/1302-61allow for after an earthquake? What level of damage does it say is reasonable? It is there to maintain structural integrity after a quake, not to protect paintwork and ceiling tiles.

You are a funny man Mr Quality Manager.

 

 

And who made you the expert? 

 

All I see is severe Thailand bootlicking from your posts.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

9 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

And who made you the expert? 

 

All I see is severe Thailand bootlicking from your posts.

 

 

Nope, just non biased sensible observations. I have said we won't know until inspections are done and we know which buildings did well or not, and when they were made, but people posting pictures of ceiling tiles or surface cracks and blaming construction here is just silly.

All I see is severe Thai bashing.

[Rolo89]

6 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

All I see is severe Thai bashing.

You conveniently ignore all the photos uploaded showing damage to support structures.

 

Your bootlicking is weird.

 

Thailand allows these companies building flats to maximise profits by being bribed. A truth is not anti Thai.

[hotsun]

8 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Nope, just non biased sensible observations. I have said we won't know until inspections are done and we know which buildings did well or not, and when they were made, but people posting pictures of ceiling tiles or surface cracks and blaming construction here is just silly.

All I see is severe Thai bashing.

America is 10x better than europe or thailand. Biased or truth?

[CallumWK]

6 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Nope, just non biased sensible observations. I have said we won't know until inspections are done and we know which buildings did well or not, and when they were made, but people posting pictures of ceiling tiles or surface cracks and blaming construction here is just silly.

All I see is severe Thai bashing.

 

You call these ceiling and surface cracks?

[josephbloggs]

7 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

You call these ceiling and surface cracks?

Yes, apart from the second picture which looks bad. I have always said we need to see which buildings fare well and which don't - there are bound to be bad performers. We will know after all inspections, but on the face of it this one did badly - whether that is a support column for the building or not I don't know. Do you know?

I'll spell it out again: Bangkok did well as a whole. One building collapsed. One. Out of the thousands of high rises one collpased and it was still under construction.  I am sure there will be some that will be condemned, but I think not many. Whether the one above will be one or not I don't know.

But people posting ceiling tiles, wall tiles, superficial cracks and crying foul against the whole industry are nothing more than bashers. As if "earthquake resistance" should mean no cracks or wobbly false ceilings.

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 hours ago, Rolo89 said:

I can't see them holding the Chinese to account. There's too much money coming from them.

 

Chinese people behind the collapsed building were apparenly seen fleeing with lots of documents 

 

https://www.thairath.co.th/news/local/bangkok/2850054

 

 

 

More on the above:

 

First there was this little-reported detail re the collapsed State Audit building:

 

"the 30-storey building slated to be the new headquarters of the State Audit Office in Chatuchak district of Bangkok. The State Audit Office contracted a consortium of Italian-Thai Development Plc and China Railway No.10 Engineering Group to construct the 2.1-billion-baht building.
 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2991159/7-day-deadline-for-probe-into-chinese-built-high-rise-collapse

 

And now there is this:

BMA acts against 4 Chinese for removing documents from SAO building

Police to charge Chinese nationals for removing 32 documents from collapsed SAO building, Jatujak district files complaint.

SUNDAY, MARCH 30, 2025

 

Pol Maj Gen Nopasin Poolswat, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, disclosed that on Saturday, March 29, 2025, four Chinese nationals were apprehended for illegally removing 32 files of documents from the rear of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building, without permission.

...

On Sunday, March 30, at 3pm, a lawyer from the Chatuchak District Office filed a complaint against the five Chinese nationals for violating the public announcement by entering the building site and removing blueprints and other documents from the collapsed SAO building.

...

The four individuals were subcontractors working for a contractor under Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited.

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40048090

 

And further from the Bangkok Post on this:

 

"Thailand's interior minister has demanded findings from a probe into the collapse of the Chinese-constructed State Audit Office building within seven days as four Chinese workers were questioned for snatching documents from the area.

...

The four men had work permits and worked for a company that was a part of the consortium of Italian-Thai Development, he said.

 

According to the deputy Bangkok police chief, the files contained various documents including information about contractors and sub-contractors. Police seized the documents and released the Chinese men after their interrogation.

 

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2991159/7-day-deadline-for-probe-into-chinese-built-high-rise-collapse