Fears of 'big one' on Mae Chan Fault

JANJIRA PONGRAI,

EKAPONG PRADITPONG

THE NATION

Sunday's magnitude-6.8 earthquake and aftershocks in Myanmar have renewed fears in Thailand over safety from seismic strikes.

BANGKOK: -- "We have to identify the quake risks of each type of building and prepare response measures," Praneet Roybang, director-general of the Mineral Resources Department, said yesterday.

The department has called a meeting today with five agencies, including the National Disaster Warning Centre and Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and experts to discuss the issue.

The tremors in Myanmar, which have killed at least seven people and injured dozens, also rocked parts of Thailand.

Praneet said that when a building starts shaking, people should quickly duck under a table to avoid getting hit by falling items.

A source from the department said people in Bangkok felt the shockwaves from more than 1,000 kilometres away in Myanmar because of the city's geological foundation.

"Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan are also located on soft soil," the source said.

These provinces are in Seismic Zone 1, or areas that can be affected by seismic upheavals from a great distance away, while 10 other provinces, mostly in the North, are in the Zone 2 or provinces close to fault lines, the source said.

Assoc Professor Sampan Singharajvarapan, director of the Earthquake Hazard Research Centre at Chiang Mai University, noted that the Mae Chan Fault stretches from Chiang Mai's Mae Ae to eastern Laos.

"I'm worried about the Mae Chan Fault," he said.

It could cause a quake that could exceed magnitude 6.0.

Authorities need to constantly check the strength of structures along the Mae Chan fault line to ensure that they will not immediately collapse if a big one hits, he said.

"If the buildings can withstand a quake of up to magnitude 6.5, we will be able to minimise losses," he said.

Eight fault lines run through the North, while the seven others are the Mae Hong Son Fault, Mae Ping Fault, Mae Tha Fault, Phayao Fault, Thoen Fault, Pua Fault and Uttaradit Fault.

Sahawat Naenna, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, said he had already instructed officials in the North to examine whether any ancient site had been damaged.

Sakon Haipitakkul, director of Lamphun irrigation projects, said he received information about lights and hanging items swinging back and forth.

"But there's no report of casualties," he said.

-- The Nation 2012-11-13

I think I just made up my mind to move back down south.

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

It is really going to be that bad??? I surely hope not.

Bad advice - In fact ducking under a table is the worst possible idea. It is way better to lie down beside one (or a lounge chair) so that if anything falls one can survive by being in a pocket with air, rather than flattened by the table. These guys obviously don't know anything about earthquakes. Doorways are also not a bad place to be.

I think I just made up my mind to move back down south.

And you think you will avoid nature furry. There are still Tsunami, tornados, hurricane, even forest fires.

Just enjoy the life and let the nature take its course

Edited November 13, 201213 yr by givenall

He says "there is no report of casualties." Most of the reporting news agencies counted a dozen dead from this earthquake. Unless the Thai official was counting only Thais. If he was only commenting that there were no deaths for only Thais, that would be typical of a Thai to look at only themselves and not refer to the "other" dead, the Burmese.

There are fault lines and ACTIVE fault lines. One must ask "Is the Mae Chan Fault line active or NOT?". You must make that distinction before declaring whether you are worried about a particular fault line or not. Otherwise, Assoc Professor Sampan Singharajvarapan is just grandstanding.

I am so glad I'm not up north in a Hi rise or anything more than 4 floors, I honestly would have no confidence in Thai building construction or materials, after they completed the new Central center in pattaya there were rumours that it would fall down all on it's own

The best position if within a concrete building in Thailand when a quake hits is as follows:

Stand with feet shoulder width apart

bend forward placing your hands on top of your head

slowly bring your head between your knees

and kiss your arse goodbye !!

lmao

"If the buildings can withstand a quake of up to magnitude 6.5, we will be able to minimise losses," he said.

My expert prediction is there will be no losses if buildings can withstand a quake of up to magnitude 20.

I think I just made up my mind to move back down south.

check the structures,find out it is rubbish,and then what.

the ever increasing hazards of thailand living.. just pop a Chang and chill

I grew up in L.A. and know a bit about earthquakes.

1) Keep a pair of shoes by the bed. Windows shatter, things fall, glass abounds.

2) If you can get to a doorway, do so. The lintel above the door will help shield you. .

3) If there is no doorway (?!) get under a desk or table. You are much more likely to experience falling tiles, lamps, books, etc, than a whole building. If the table above you flattens you, you're going to be flattened anyway.

4) Don't run outside right away! Stuff falls off of buildings. Roof tiles, windows, concrete panels, brick walls and chimneys. People die from this.

5) Aftershocks can be just as big/bad as the original quake.

I think I just made up my mind to move back down south.

Better never leave your house, just in case you get hit by a car or struck by lightning. Stop being so frightened of life and start living. Before it's too late.

I think I just made up my mind to move back down south.

Better never leave your house, just in case you get hit by a car or struck by lightning. Stop being so frightened of life and start living. Before it's too late.

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

It is obvious that you are the one that doesn't know anything about eathquakes. Get out fast and you could be hit and killed by parts of the building falling on you. Being under a table is good advice.

"Sakon Haipitakkul, director of Lamphun irrigation projects, said he received information about lights and hanging items swinging back and forth."

So they've got the latest seismic data then.

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

T i T

"Sakon Haipitakkul, director of Lamphun irrigation projects, said he received information about lights and hanging items swinging back and forth."

So they've got the latest seismic data then.

"Sakon Haipitakkul, director of Lamphun irrigation projects, said he received information about lights and hanging items swinging back and forth".

I actually have the perfect solution for overcoming this one!!!

Its simple really.

Just wear tighter fitting underpants (bear in mind that due to the design parameters, boxers are not so effective as Y fronts) - problem resolved at minimal cost!!.

Next................!!

Edited November 13, 201213 yr by SICHONSTEVE

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

T i T

Tourism Incompetence of Thailand..., and they said the Major dams up north were not affected and can withstand earthquakes??? I wouldn't be surprised if it were all a lie to save face...

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

This is actually good advice. If the building collapses, there's not much you can do about it anyway. You are much more likely to experience falling debris than a total building collapse - in which case, a sturdy table will protect you pretty dam_n well. Moderate earthquakes are much more common than severe ones, and building collapse is a more rare cause of injury and death than something like a heavy shelving unit falling on you, or being lacerated by broken glass.

Running outside is a bad idea because you are basically running directly through the danger-zone to get there. Particularly in a tall building, the most dangerous place (if the building doesn't collapse) is immediately outside. This is where you will find the most lethal high-speed falling objects, especially glass. If you fancy a broken sheet of window glass bisecting your brain, or a chunk of concrete crushing your skull, then it would be a good idea to be near the outside of a building during an earthquake. So in the unlikely event that the earthquake is very powerful, and your building does collapse, and you make it through a shower of falling glass and building materials unscathed - you can feel justified that you had the best plan. But a more likely scenario is that the earthquake is moderate (much more common), and the building doesn't collapse (again a rare event), and you may be among the injured (maybe severely) because you put yourself in the most dangerous place by trying to get outside.

Bad advice - In fact ducking under a table is the worst possible idea. It is way better to lie down beside one (or a lounge chair) so that if anything falls one can survive by being in a pocket with air, rather than flattened by the table. These guys obviously don't know anything about earthquakes. Doorways are also not a bad place to be.

No - they are not giving bad advice. The debris triangle idea (to lie beside something) is totally based on circumstantial evidence cherry-picked from cases that fit the theory. No peer-reviewed, or scientific sound study exists to support this theory. Laying down beside a table will not protect you from a falling heavy item, or falling chunks of glass - but being under a sturdy table or desk will. Heaps of survival data have been collected and researched by California universities for decades, yet not one has published guidelines that support this idea (in-fact they actively oppose it). Meanwhile the "lay down beside something" theory is put forth by one guy, based on very suspect evidence, and one very flawed experiment (basically purpose-built to support the theory).

As to doorways, this is no longer recommended as before - it really depends on the doorway. Non-reinforced doorways have been found to be no more structurally sound than any other place on the walls. Doorways also provide no debris protection, you'll still get hit with the most prolific cause of earthquake injury (falling stuff). And as to doorways with doors - the doors can swing with a lot of force - and they can slap you and knock you down - and watch your fingers when you are holding on (I have experienced the door issues personally, at around 5.5).

The Japanese seem to have some experience in this, and they advocate getting under a desk or table.

I've seen the other version in Jakarta, where there is no training, and what you get are a number of classrooms of screaming pupils all trying to rush downstairs and outside. Instant pandemonium, a strong possibility of being trampled to death, only to discover it's a minor quake anyway.

Should you push off the people sleeping on the table, or leave them as extra padding?

"People should quickly duck under a table"

Jeez is that the best advice they can give? Get out as fast as you can is the only advice they should be giving. No table will survive a collapsing building.

They obviously saw this video and thought it was new....

I grew up in L.A. and know a bit about earthquakes.

1) Keep a pair of shoes by the bed. Windows shatter, things fall, glass abounds.

2) If you can get to a doorway, do so. The lintel above the door will help shield you. .

3) If there is no doorway (?!) get under a desk or table. You are much more likely to experience falling tiles, lamps, books, etc, than a whole building. If the table above you flattens you, you're going to be flattened anyway.

4) Don't run outside right away! Stuff falls off of buildings. Roof tiles, windows, concrete panels, brick walls and chimneys. People die from this.

5) Aftershocks can be just as big/bad as the original quake.

All very good sound advice. Currently living in Christchurch (Muntsville) and I would have no faith in a croncrete structure in Thailand surviving a magnitude 6 quake

I grew up in L.A. and know a bit about earthquakes.

1) Keep a pair of shoes by the bed. Windows shatter, things fall, glass abounds.

2) If you can get to a doorway, do so. The lintel above the door will help shield you. .

3) If there is no doorway (?!) get under a desk or table. You are much more likely to experience falling tiles, lamps, books, etc, than a whole building. If the table above you flattens you, you're going to be flattened anyway.

4) Don't run outside right away! Stuff falls off of buildings. Roof tiles, windows, concrete panels, brick walls and chimneys. People die from this.

5) Aftershocks can be just as big/bad as the original quake.

Best advice in my opinion. I wouldn't think of the shoes, Thanks.

Bad advice - In fact ducking under a table is the worst possible idea. It is way better to lie down beside one (or a lounge chair) so that if anything falls one can survive by being in a pocket with air, rather than flattened by the table. These guys obviously don't know anything about earthquakes. Doorways are also not a bad place to be.

I just recalled the US Authority advice to its citizens in the fifties and the cold war. "If you see the light or the mushroom from an atomic bomb, duck and take cover!" And showing films how people dived under tables! Sometimes not only Thailand is amazing.

"Sakon Haipitakkul, director of Lamphun irrigation projects, said he received information about lights and hanging items swinging back and forth."

So they've got the latest seismic data then.

Its a Thai seismograph!!!

Quick, give this guy a 100,000,000 Baht so he can go out and do his life saving, heroic work looking at buildings, having photos taken of him looking at buildings, knocking down a poor man's house and rebuilding it to the same standard, having a photo of him knocking down a poor man's house and rebuilding it to earthquake withstanding standard, then buying a new Benz.

Jump on the bandwagon, scare people, look like a hero, grab some cash.