Death Toll at Bangkok Building Collapse Hits 44 Amid Ongoing Recovery

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Tragedy continues to unfold at the collapsed State Audit Office site in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, where the official death toll has risen to 44 as recovery efforts persist. On Monday night, workers discovered two more bodies and numerous human remains amidst the rubble, bringing the grim total to 44 confirmed dead as of Tuesday morning.

 

Deputy Bangkok Governor Tavida Kamolvej reported the findings, with forensic police working to identify the remains. As of now, nine survivors have been identified, while 50 others remain missing. Families of 91 individuals have provided DNA samples to assist in the identification process of the deceased, injured, and those still unaccounted for.

 

Efforts are also underway to gather DNA samples from individuals near the Myanmar-Thai border, facilitated by the Myanmar embassy, as Thai officials intensify efforts to identify additional victims.

 

 

 

The collapse, caused by the 7.7-magnitude Myanmar earthquake on March 28, brought down the 30-storey State Audit Office headquarters, the only building in Bangkok to succumb to the tremors. The rescue teams face significant challenges, with steel rods hindering access to some of the bodies. The Interior Ministry is offering 100,000 baht in funeral support for each deceased victim.

 

Investigations involving multiple government organisations are ongoing, as officials scrutinise the collapse's causes and evaluate the credentials of building contractors and the quality of construction materials used.

 

Excavators are actively working at the site, as teams continue to search through the debris. This tragedy underscores the urgent need for thorough building safety assessments and stringent construction standards to prevent future calamities, reported Bangkok Post.

 

 

-- 2025-04-16