Strong 6.0-magnitude quake rattles northern Thailand: USGS

[climbertrev1]

I asked if Thailand had any seismic activity and they said "no". No fault lines, no subduction zones and that the country, especially in the Isaan area was the most stable and least likely to have any ground movement caused by earthquakes. They understood the question and I I understood their answer. Odd neither of them knew there was a fault line near Chiang Rai.

I suspect this was a rare occurrence.

.

Just two weeks ago I had two different pool builders tell me Thailand didn't have any seismic activity so I didn't need to consider that when choosing between a pool with tile or a liner.

Wonder what they're saying now?

I didn't feel anything in Bangkok on the 4th floor and this place moves sometimes when heavy trucks speed past the building.

Everywhere can and does have earthquakes but Bangkok isn't a place prone to earthquakes, Northern Thailand is more so. Building codes are different depending on the likelihood of a significant quake .... NY doesn't build to LA standards even though NY gets earthquakes too.

I think you either misunderstood the pool builders or they were telling you something in very basic terms to not make things complicated.

Who did you ask? I would be surprised if it was a geologist or a seismologist. The mountainous areas of Thailand are off shoots of the Himalayas and consequently they are prone to seismic activity. Incidentally Chiang Rai is in Northern Thailand not Issan which is usually referred to as North East Thailand. Issan doesn't have any major mountain ranges and is relatively inactive seismically. Chiang Rai is much closer to the mountains.

[alocacoc]

[Johnsy]

Now Thailand have another problem.

Some years ago i read that many newer high buildings in Bangkok are not earthquake proofed.

Have surveyed hundreds of buildings in Bangkok and have never found one built to earthquake standards. Same goes for Chiang Mai.

Do you really think that if they had earthquake building codes that they would be built to these standards anyway.....come on boys ;-)

[canuckamuck]

Just FYI here's a list of all the Thai faults.

But just so you know, nobody from here will admit it is their fault

Edit to add this excerpt about the Phayoa fault

6) The 45 km-long, NNW-trending Phayao FZ exhibits a sharp scarp clearly observed from the Landsat image suggesting Quaternary movement with eastward down-thrown side to the Payao Basin, possibly related to the so-called Kwan Phayao Lake. This lake is interpreted representing the large sag pond – an internal fault wedge basin which forms branches in the bifurcating dextral fault as a result of slip movement. The 1994 Pan earthquake with the magnitude about Mb 6.0 at the northern extension of the fault provides the good evidence on a fault – generating earthquake. Based on focal mechanism, Bott et al. (1997) considered that the similarly oriented fault is located possibly within the Payao basin.

Edited May 6, 2014 by canuckamuck

[Russian SuperHero]

in Buddha we trust:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PI3OF4umL4

[sup3r1or]

in Buddha we trust:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PI3OF4umL4

Man in the first temple on the video, they ran out faster than olympic sprinters:)

[somchy]

any one selling tee-shirts yet??? ;-)

[somchy]

any one selling tee-shirts yet??? ;-)

[KonKorat]

i'm a little shaken after reading this

[MaxLee]

Just FYI here's a list of all the Thai faults.

But just so you know, nobody from here will admit it is their fault

Edit to add this excerpt about the Phayoa fault

6) The 45 km-long, NNW-trending Phayao FZ exhibits a sharp scarp clearly observed from the Landsat image suggesting Quaternary movement with eastward down-thrown side to the Payao Basin, possibly related to the so-called Kwan Phayao Lake. This lake is interpreted representing the large sag pond an internal fault wedge basin which forms branches in the bifurcating dextral fault as a result of slip movement. The 1994 Pan earthquake with the magnitude about Mb 6.0 at the northern extension of the fault provides the good evidence on a fault generating earthquake. Based on focal mechanism, Bott et al. (1997) considered that the similarly oriented fault is located possibly within the Payao basin.

No damage reported aka No loss of face reported

[godden]

Makes a pleasant change from being shaken down by the BIB

[Frank James]

Last night when this thing hit we were in our rooms on the top (5th) floor of our residence hotel on CM Santhitam Rd. Started off slow, and then the place started really rocking. Decided to stay up here rather than running downstairs. If the building comes down, I figure it's better to be up top than crushed down below. Heard screaming in the streets. Went to eat in the basement at Kad Suan Kaew (the old Red Fort), and thought to myself, this is probably a stupid place to be right now. People were shopping and carefree.

This morning there were a couple of aftershocks, nothing serious. Everybody's talking about it. Exciting stuff. Last night we had a lovely rain shower around midnight.

[JohnThailandJohn]

I asked if Thailand had any seismic activity and they said "no". No fault lines, no subduction zones and that the country, especially in the Isaan area was the most stable and least likely to have any ground movement caused by earthquakes. They understood the question and I I understood their answer. Odd neither of them knew there was a fault line near Chiang Rai.

I suspect this was a rare occurrence.

.

Just two weeks ago I had two different pool builders tell me Thailand didn't have any seismic activity so I didn't need to consider that when choosing between a pool with tile or a liner.

Wonder what they're saying now?

I didn't feel anything in Bangkok on the 4th floor and this place moves sometimes when heavy trucks speed past the building.

Everywhere can and does have earthquakes but Bangkok isn't a place prone to earthquakes, Northern Thailand is more so. Building codes are different depending on the likelihood of a significant quake .... NY doesn't build to LA standards even though NY gets earthquakes too.

I think you either misunderstood the pool builders or they were telling you something in very basic terms to not make things complicated.

Interesting they both gave exact same answers as well as them both forgetting a major news story effecting in the north of an earthquake just a couple years ago. Also interesting you even asked the question twice and performed no simple internet search. They should have just charged you for the extra services.

[SanukJoeII]

I asked if Thailand had any seismic activity and they said "no". No fault lines, no subduction zones and that the country, especially in the Isaan area was the most stable and least likely to have any ground movement caused by earthquakes. They understood the question and I I understood their answer. Odd neither of them knew there was a fault line near Chiang Rai.

I suspect this was a rare occurrence.

.

Just two weeks ago I had two different pool builders tell me Thailand didn't have any seismic activity so I didn't need to consider that when choosing between a pool with tile or a liner.

Wonder what they're saying now?

I didn't feel anything in Bangkok on the 4th floor and this place moves sometimes when heavy trucks speed past the building.

Everywhere can and does have earthquakes but Bangkok isn't a place prone to earthquakes, Northern Thailand is more so. Building codes are different depending on the likelihood of a significant quake .... NY doesn't build to LA standards even though NY gets earthquakes too.

I think you either misunderstood the pool builders or they were telling you something in very basic terms to not make things complicated.

They were right: Isan is very stable. This earthquake was in the North, not in Isan....

Better had asked the seismologists at TMD, not pool builders, they answer what suits them best.

[JohnThailandJohn]

I asked if Thailand had any seismic activity and they said "no". No fault lines, no subduction zones and that the country, especially in the Isaan area was the most stable and least likely to have any ground movement caused by earthquakes. They understood the question and I I understood their answer. Odd neither of them knew there was a fault line near Chiang Rai.

I suspect this was a rare occurrence.

.

Just two weeks ago I had two different pool builders tell me Thailand didn't have any seismic activity so I didn't need to consider that when choosing between a pool with tile or a liner.

Wonder what they're saying now?

I didn't feel anything in Bangkok on the 4th floor and this place moves sometimes when heavy trucks speed past the building.

Everywhere can and does have earthquakes but Bangkok isn't a place prone to earthquakes, Northern Thailand is more so. Building codes are different depending on the likelihood of a significant quake .... NY doesn't build to LA standards even though NY gets earthquakes too.

I think you either misunderstood the pool builders or they were telling you something in very basic terms to not make things complicated.

They were right: Isan is very stable. This earthquake was in the North, not in Isan....

Better had asked the seismologists at TMD, not pool builders, they answer what suits them best.

I guess what suited them best in this case was not charging the guy for unneeded work.

[DGIE]

My security guard said "Mai Pen Rai" so I guess everything is OK now.

maybe your security guard's life has no more value

[chotthee]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Latest OTOP. Thaksin's road widening project?

[ripstanley]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

[issanaus]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

I think it is an optical illusion created by traffic cones

[geoman1976]

4:18 AM -just had an afershock from Chiang Rai earthquake. We live in San Sai just outside of Chiang Mai.

did you feel the initial quake as well? I haven't gotten any data updates from the USGS about the severeity of the aftershocks yet...only that there have been several. I am wondering which felt stronger to you. Quite often, aftershocks can even be stronger than the initial quake. Would you mind giving me your input about comparing what you felt between last night and today? I would really appreciate. Cheers.

[canuckamuck]

4:18 AM -just had an afershock from Chiang Rai earthquake. We live in San Sai just outside of Chiang Mai.

did you feel the initial quake as well? I haven't gotten any data updates from the USGS about the severeity of the aftershocks yet...only that there have been several. I am wondering which felt stronger to you. Quite often, aftershocks can even be stronger than the initial quake. Would you mind giving me your input about comparing what you felt between last night and today? I would really appreciate. Cheers.

This link was posted in the other thread, a bit jumbled, but it has some of the info you likely want

CM108

[canuckamuck]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

On the contrary I have on many occasions seen trees growing through the tarmac and always very close to dangerous holes in the road. I think it's a Thai phnomenon

[Mickeem]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

On the contrary I have on many occasions seen trees growing through the tarmac and always very close to dangerous holes in the road. I think it's a Thai phnomenon

It looks like a stretch of the 118 near Mae Lao - very near the epicentre

Maybe someone living nearby can verify exactly where it is so next time I drive that way in the dark I don't dissapear into the bowels of the earth ..

[media]

Wow, shocking for Thailand.. Only 2 photos?? there must be more pics of this interesting story?

[media]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

On the contrary I have on many occasions seen trees growing through the tarmac and always very close to dangerous holes in the road. I think it's a Thai phnomenon

Photo: HAHA, gotta love Thailand, a Massive section of road has dropped down 10 feet, stick a tree branch in a hole to notify everyone.. lol

[harrry]

Hundreds of aftershocks hit the north following Monday major quake

Photo : Chiang Rai

CHIANG RAI: -- A magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit the northern region of Thailand on Monday, killing an 83-year-old woman when a wall collapsed on her.

The quake struck at 6.08pm and the initial quake was followed by more than 50 aftershocks. On Monday night and Tuesday, there were about hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in blackout in many areas and forcing evacuation of patients from local hospitals.

The only victim of the quake was identified as Saeng Linkham of Mae Lao district in Chiang Rai province.

The buildings and temples in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai were damaged and could be felt in high-rise buildings in Bangkok.

The quake was one of the strongest recorded in Thailand, which does not sit on any major fault lines.

-- The Nation 2014-05-06

Can some poster please state where this picture was taken? Driving around roads in Chiang Rai I have never seen trees growing in the middle of the bitumen.

On the contrary I have on many occasions seen trees growing through the tarmac and always very close to dangerous holes in the road. I think it's a Thai phnomenon

If Thailand does not have major fault lines what caused the destruction of the chedis in Chiang Mai a couple of hundred years ago.

[Tywais]

Wow, shocking for Thailand.. Only 2 photos?? there must be more pics of this interesting story?

I posted a link to a set of photos in the CM forum and another member posted the link a few posts back in this topic - Photos at CM108 (Google Translate version)

//edit - found some more also at CM108

[Tywais]

This article lists 121 faults throughout Thailand - Watch faults

[katana]

Videos showing staff and customers running out of hotel lobbies, shops and restaurants etc during yesterday's earthquake:

[fonsboy]

I live in Chiang Saen about 40 k`s from epi-centre , I had just got in after my afternoon bike ride , showered , sat down to read my book , when the earth started to shake , it continued for about 10-15 secs . very , very unnerving . There was one about 3 yrs . ago centred in Tachilec / Maesai but this one felt much worse .