Thai Authorities Order Closure of 55 Buildings Post-Quake

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of Siam Rath

 

Following a recent earthquake, Thai authorities have inspected over 6,900 buildings across Bangkok and the provinces, with 55 structures deemed too damaged to use and subsequently closed.

 

On the 7th of April, the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning led the assessment alongside engineering bodies. Buildings were categorised into three groups: public buildings like hospitals and schools, private high-rise buildings, and residential dwellings.

 

The inspection, which began on 28th March and concluded on 6th April, classified 6,487 buildings as safe (green), 361 with moderate damage but still usable (yellow), and 55 with severe structural issues, leading to closure (red). The focus was on ensuring the immediate safety of occupants and the structural integrity of the buildings.

 

Private high-rise and large buildings, which are legally required to undergo yearly inspections, have seen 1,822 out of about 11,000 already reported as checked.

 

Bangkok authorities have urged building owners to follow through with necessary inspections or face legal consequences.

 

 

 

In addition to the capital, 6,344 buildings across 76 provinces were also assessed, with similar findings. The department has made resources available for public inquiry through various media and a 24-hour hotline.

 

The authorities emphasised the need for ongoing monitoring of building conditions, urging immediate consultations if any changes are observed.

 

Buildings with moderate damage should undergo further detailed inspection by experts, while those heavily damaged remain off-limits for use until adequately repaired.

 

Based on a story by Siam Rath

 

-- 2025-04-08

 

 

[mikebell]

6 minutes ago, webfact said:

Thai authorities have inspected over 6,900 buildings across Bangkok and the provinces, with 55 structures deemed too damaged to use and subsequently closed.

And all done in  9 days?  I'm sure there will be an appeals procedure for the 55 who wouldn't pay the price.

[ozz1]

There  goes the property values in Bangkok especially condos not good for Thai economy

[impulse]

Is there a published list of the buildings that have been inspected and categorized?

 

I'd hate to rock up to my hotel next week and find out it's been condemned...  And I'd seriously consider burning my pre-paid reservation if it's on the yellow list.

 

[CallumWK]

Can someone inform @josephbloggs that there is an update, since he only could see buildings with superficial damage.

[dinsdale]

I know this is Serbia and not Thailand but there is a common denominator. Guess what that is?

Serbia charges 13 in railway station tragedy, critics allege cover-up

On 1 November 2024, the concrete canopy of the main railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia, collapsed onto the busy pavement below, killing 16 people and severely injuring one more. The station building was constructed in 1964, and was renovated from 2021 to mid-2024 with support from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.

The accident occurred at a train station in Novi Sad, 100 kilometers northwest of Belgrade, following repeated renovations within a broader agreement with Chinese construction firms. Critics blamed the shoddy work [,] widespread corruption and a lack of transparency.

https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-railway-station-accident-minister-transport-milos-vucevic-construction/

Image: https://balkaninsight.com/2024/12/30/serbian-prosecution-charges-13-over-railway-station-disaster/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novi_Sad_railway_station_canopy_collapse

 

[connda]

And that list of building is published where?

[PJ71]

6900 inspections in 10 day or so.....really?

 

you'd expect the inspections to be very thorough, how long would each inspection take considering the height of some of the buildings.

 

not sure if i believe that tbh.

[Wiggy]

3 hours ago, impulse said:

Is there a published list of the buildings that have been inspected and categorized?

 

I'd hate to rock up to my hotel next week and find out it's been condemned...  And I'd seriously consider burning my pre-paid reservation if it's on the yellow list.

 

I doubt you’ll see one due to the defamation laws here. If somebody published a name they could be sued. Ridiculous, but true.

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, Wiggy said:

I doubt you’ll see one due to the defamation laws here. If somebody published a name they could be sued. Ridiculous, but true.

 

I'd expect the gub'ment to be the ones publishing the lists.  There may already be lists published in Thai, but I wouldn't have a clue where to look.

 

In the meantime, I'll bet Thai social media is going wild with photos and videos of damage.  That could be even more damaging than a vetted list of actual inspection reports.  Some damage is just cosmetic in nature, but looks horrible.

 

[connda]

1 hour ago, connda said:

And that list of building is published where?

I did an AI search looking for a list of damaged building.  The search quoted AN's article and other than that, pretty much nada.

 

"I searched official sources like the DPT’s website (dpt.go.th), news outlets such as The Nation Thailand and Bangkok Post, and posts on X for a detailed list in either Thai or English. The DPT site doesn’t seem to have released a public list as of today, April 8, 2025. News articles, including one from The Nation Thailand on April 1, 2025, mention specific closures—like four government buildings (e.g., Thosaminthrathirat Building at Rajavithi Hospital and Lerdsin Hospital)—but these don’t account for all 55. An X post from The Nation Thailand on April 6, 2025, references 52 state office buildings, including the Immigration Bureau and Revenue Department offices, but again, no full list is linked or detailed."
- Grok 3

[SingAPorn]

Even without the quake, if there was some genuine and serious assessment to be done on private villas or condos in Thailand, most would plainly not be fit as safe. Should it be faulty construction, cheap materials used, non respect of curing protocols for the cement, suicidal electric wiring, sloppy plumbing..name it and you'll have it.  

 

Be it a house in village in Isaan or a post pool villa in a swanky developpment in Hin Lek Fai. Most of these properties have been badly built or have sloppy fittings done by crooks (thai and falang) who know perfectly well that they can get away with their crooked habbits.

 

But we all knew that before...but just did not want to admit it. Of course, no generalization here as surely there are still some decent house contractors still left ?

[Yagoda]

3 hours ago, dinsdale said:

I know this is Serbia and not Thailand but there is a common denominator. Guess what that is?

Serbia charges 13 in railway station tragedy, critics allege cover-up

On 1 November 2024, the concrete canopy of the main railway station in Novi Sad, Serbia, collapsed onto the busy pavement below, killing 16 people and severely injuring one more. The station building was constructed in 1964, and was renovated from 2021 to mid-2024 with support from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.

The accident occurred at a train station in Novi Sad, 100 kilometers northwest of Belgrade, following repeated renovations within a broader agreement with Chinese construction firms. Critics blamed the shoddy work [,] widespread corruption and a lack of transparency.

https://www.politico.eu/article/serbia-railway-station-accident-minister-transport-milos-vucevic-construction/

Image: https://balkaninsight.com/2024/12/30/serbian-prosecution-charges-13-over-railway-station-disaster/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novi_Sad_railway_station_canopy_collapse

 

China builds like crap

[redwood1]

I dont believe they have inspected this many buildings for a second.

 

The worst damage I have seen is some cracked plaster..

 

For real earthquake damage see Kobe Japan...

 

https://www.google.com/search?num=10&rlz=1C2_____en-USTH1087TH1087&sca_esv=4495519a67c9d9b8&q=kobe+japan+earthquake&udm=2&fbs=ABzOT_CWdhQLP1FcmU5B0fn3xuWpA-dk4wpBWOGsoR7DG5zJBjLjqIC1CYKD9D-DQAQS3Z7jD_sfq51a5p71nGORyf6pbVDvOmgw7ZGf-SGPZbt8GY3FGYPnMbFXpCm3_FjhB8_4fSH64ogeHmRy5Y_IhlvGTFMZHHmJ4-_HbuSrvSqXVzCB-M_uzTvxTgIu-9KDWwSlSUT_cr_kWmHUsk1WE4VWKtUkMA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiMnK-f3seMAxU5cGwGHRyMLaIQtKgLegQIFhAB&biw=595&bih=261&dpr=2.5

[arick]

You have no idea what you're looking for what you're seeking out unless you've seen it before in your train to do it.

[jcmj]

Surprisingly all of the privately owned high rises and buildings that have been inspected, 1,800 out of 11,000, are all fine. I’d be surprised to see any of the hotels or Residential Properties get proper inspections. 6,500 or so is way too many to be properly inspected, unless a drive by counts. 

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

In addition to the capital, 6,344 buildings across 76 provinces were also assessed, with similar findings. The department has made resources available for public inquiry through various media and a 24-hour hotline.

Like a needle in a haystack

[BusyB]

 

The numbers sound mighty suspicious. But maybe they've sent a bunch of people around with a laminated list of things to look for, and when they find things they call the authorities who send the experts in to assess the extent of the damage.

 

That would be the only sensible or practical way to do it given the lack of experienced/expert construction engineers.

 

That would also explain the stark drop in public buildings from :

classified 6,487 buildings as safe (green),  to 361 with moderate damage but still usable (yellow), and 55 with severe structural issues, leading to closure (red).

If you have a couple of hundred local authority employees scouring the place for symptoms then 6.5k are possible ... the other 400 or so get closer attention.

 

That's how I'd do it anyway but who knows ...? Thais can also be very practical when the heat's finally on ...

 

As for the private buildings, well ... who's checking them?

 

 

 

[riclag]

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

China builds like crap

Cost & quality cutters

[BusyB]

 

Perhaps hotels'll start displaying 'Earthquake Secure' and 'Earthquake Inspected to DIN 9200 Standards' stickers and certificates, the same as for the Covid safety/hygiene requirements?

 

We'll have to wear helmets instead of masks.

[JJ-Thailand]

Inspection of 6,900 buildings across Bangkok and the provinces, that was quick, very quick.