Two New Geological Faults Found In Thailand's North

[webfact]

EARTHQUAKE

Two new geological faults found in North

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Two more active geological faultlines have been found - Mae Ing in Chiang Rai and Phayao, and Phetchabun in the province of the same name - bringing the total in Thailand to 14, with another still under study.

The Mineral Resources Department is analysing the Nakhon Nayok Fault to determine if it is active and the result will be announced next year, Lertsin Raksasakulwong, director of the Environmental Geology Division, said yesterday.

The Mae Ing and Phetchabun faults will be put on the department's list this year, he said.

The Mae Ing Fault has experienced a tremor stronger than 4.0 magnitude, while the Phetchabun Fault has spawned a quake greater than 5.0.

The Tha Khaeg Fault, which runs mainly in Laos and was last active more than 30 years ago, has been taken off the department's hot list.

There remain 13 faultlines in 22 provinces, including Mae Chan in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai; Mae Hong Son; Meoi in Tak and Kamphaeng Phet; Mae Tha in Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Chiang Rai; Thoen in Lampang and Phrae; Phayao in Phayao, Chiang Rai and Lampang; Pua in Nan; Uttaradit; and Three Pagodas in Kanchanaburi.

The other is Si Sa Wat in Kanchanaburi, Suphan Buri and Uthai Thani. The Tha Khaeg Fault will soon be officially deleted from the 13-fault list. The inclusion of Mae Ing and Phetchabun will make a total of 14.

The twin quakes felt in Phuket on Monday resulted from two quakes on April 11 near Aceh off Sumatra at 8.9 and 8.2 magnitude, which were followed by more than 40 aftershocks.

The Phuket quakes travelled through two faultlines - Ranong and Khlong Marui, which are on the hot list of 14 faultlines.

There were nine mild aftershocks yesterday following the quakes in Phuket on Monday, which damaged 35 homes on the island, said Nithas Phoowatthanakul, director-general of the Mineral Resources Depart-ment.

The aftershocks, measuring 2.1-2.7 on the Richter scale, were felt throughout the province although the twin quakes on Monday were strongest at Tambon Si Sunthorn in Thalang district. The final shock came at 12.18pm and was measured at 3.1, he said.

The first 4.3 quake struck Phuket at 4.44pm on Monday, followed two minutes later by the 5.7 quake.

"Both quakes were separate |phenomena, not that the second |was subsequent to the first," he added.

A strong quake in the South connecting the Ranong and Khlong Marui faultlines could cause collapse of land in provinces where the topology consists mostly of limestone - Krabi, Trang and Satun in the South and Kanchanaburi in the West, said Thinnnakorn Thathong, another senior department official.

"A quake of 3 to 5 magnitude may shake or crack homes with weaker structures, but buildings with greater strength or those with anti-quake measures should not be affected," he added.

After the 9.1 quake in 2004, with its epicentre in Aceh, spawned a tsunami that caused continent-wide damage and killed hundreds of thousands of people, some quakes associated with the Ranong and Khlong Marui faults have been recorded.

Three larger ones were a 5.0 quake east of Prachuap Khiri Khan's Sam Roi Yot district in 2006, a 3.2 quake in Surat Thani's Muang district in 2008 and a 2.7 tremor in Phang Nga's Takua Pa district in February of this year.

-- The Nation 2012-04-18

[maidu]

Bring it on. I've got a house in C.Rai built with non-fired red blocks and lots of re-bar. I've wanted to see it tested to see how strong it is. Already, a corner of the house has been tested. (a little background): a Thai construction boss friend of mine observed me building the house with interlacing/interlocking blocks and declared that: "Without a corner post, the house will be weak". That's typical Asian perpective, as they're fixated on corner posts, often where none are needed.

Anyhow, years later, some kids were playing in my car, which was parked in gear on a steep slope facing the house corner, about 4 meters away. The car rolled forward and, crashed directly in to the house corner. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the exposed block corner only suffered a chip knocked off. Needless to say, the integrity of the house wasn't impacted at all. I wonder if a standard Thai house with columns would have fared as well?

Also: when an earthquake struck last year near the Burmese border town of Tachilek, 70 minutes drive from my house, I was upstairs, and felt some swaying of the structure (the upper level is built mostly with wood framing, not blocks), but that was it. Some people get spooked by earthquakes. I get high from them (maybe because I hail from California). Once, here in this same house in Chiang Rai, I actually tangibly sensed an earthquake rippling up a long hill to where I was sitting. What a rush!

[david555]

Bring it on. I've got a house in C.Rai built with non-fired red blocks and lots of re-bar. I've wanted to see it tested to see how strong it is. Already, a corner of the house has been tested. (a little background): a Thai construction boss friend of mine observed me building the house with interlacing/interlocking blocks and declared that: "Without a corner post, the house will be weak". That's typical Asian perpective, as they're fixated on corner posts, often where none are needed.

Anyhow, years later, some kids were playing in my car, which was parked in gear on a steep slope facing the house corner, about 4 meters away. The car rolled forward and, crashed directly in to the house corner. Luckily, no one was hurt, but the exposed block corner only suffered a chip knocked off. Needless to say, the integrity of the house wasn't impacted at all. I wonder if a standard Thai house with columns would have fared as well?

Also: when an earthquake struck last year near the Burmese border town of Tachilek, 70 minutes drive from my house, I was upstairs, and felt some swaying of the structure (the upper level is built mostly with wood framing, not blocks), but that was it. Some people get spooked by earthquakes. I get high from them (maybe because I hail from California). Once, here in this same house in Chiang Rai, I actually tangibly sensed an earthquake rippling up a long hill to where I was sitting. What a rush!

it is active and the result will be announced next year

That say it ALL .....

[blackthorn2005]

There is another major, undiscovered fault in BKK, it is called the government!

Edited April 18, 2012 by blackthorn2005

[w11guy]

That's not a good picture for the story. Makes it look like they just happened to find the fault lines while checking out a journey.

[Scott]

Two rather nasty posts have been deleted.

Please stay on the topic.

[Cuban]

We were in CM for a 5.5 quake a few years ago, it occurred while we were in the cinema my friend asked "...do you think that is a plane landing?" my cool response, "Not it's an earthquake, schhhh watch the movie!"

This is just the sort of news story that would really benefit from someone providing a map with the active areas clearly marked.

[Mur]

maidu, you should come and live with us in christchurch new zealand if earthquakes give you a high. You'd probably change your mind, particularly if you owned a house or worked in a tall building. We've had well over 10,000 quakes since our 7.1 in sep 2010. After all this time we are about to move out of our wrecked house. We had 6 months with no toilet. weeks with no power roads that are almost impassable. Hundreds of people with heart probs caused by the "rush" from all these aftershocks.

No blxxdy fun at all I can tell ya

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

maidu, you should come and live with us in christchurch new zealand if earthquakes give you a high. You'd probably change your mind, particularly if you owned a house or worked in a tall building. We've had well over 10,000 quakes since our 7.1 in sep 2010. After all this time we are about to move out of our wrecked house. We had 6 months with no toilet. weeks with no power roads that are almost impassable. Hundreds of people with heart probs caused by the "rush" from all these aftershocks.

No blxxdy fun at all I can tell ya

I have never experienced a earth quake and hope I never do...Our house is here in Phan,Chiang Rai and we are 40 minutes from Phayao...My heart condition would take a jolt for sure...Rush my butt...

[bigbamboo]

The hub of faults?

We are living on one in CM and have had three quakes in my decade here, one of which had the water sloshing around our swimming pool for a minute or so.

All over the world there are fault lines, most of them as the ones in Thailand are minor. Plenty more things to worry about if you live here.

[strollling]

Perhaps the science minister can attach some tugboats to pull them back together.

Ploblem solved.

[anterian]

Perhaps the science minister can attach some tugboats to pull them back together.

Ploblem solved.

And then staple gun them in place, or do you think superglue would be better?

[Ricardo]

So whose fault is it, that the geologists didn't know about this ?

Shouldn't they be moved to an inactive fault post ?

[scotbeve]

The hub of faults?

We are living on one in CM and have had three quakes in my decade here, one of which had the water sloshing around our swimming pool for a minute or so.

All over the world there are fault lines, most of them as the ones in Thailand are minor. Plenty more things to worry about if you live here.

Big Bamboo (like the album...???),

I suspect the Mae Sa valley fault line may have a tremble or 2 soon.

[unanimosity]

Perhaps the science minister can attach some tugboats to pull them back together.

Ploblem solved.

[RubbaJohnny]

Faults of course change over time.

Mind the gap

[Tonawatchee]

How many Central Plazas will be able to with stand a 5.0 or higher Richter scale temblor? Being from Southern Calif, I kinda of cringed when I saw them laying the upper floors during construction in Udon Thani. I presume the same blue prints are used for most of the other complexes.

[maidu]

How many Central Plazas will be able to with stand a 5.0 or higher Richter scale temblor? Being from Southern Calif, I kinda of cringed when I saw them laying the upper floors during construction in Udon Thani. I presume the same blue prints are used for most of the other complexes.

Good point. Each time I look at the older Central Mall in Chiang Mai (near library, on way to U and zoo), I see a gargantuan building with a brown brick facade wrapped around it. Granted, there are structural concrete beams and posts holding it up, but just the thought of the epidermis crumbling is sobering. There are millions of bricks there.

There's a Nursing college in C.Rai which has a massive concrete beam (floor bearing) spanning eight meters with no posts. Thai construction is too enamored with concrete beams, if you ask me. I use steel beams, which are flexible and weigh a small fraction of the concrete needed for the same span. Thai houses often have very heavy roofs also, plus unnecessary overhangs which are also heavier than they need to be.

[TheOnceler]

It's not often you see the words 'Thailand' and 'fault' together... usually it's someone elses...