28-3-2025 (BANGKOK) A catastrophic scene unfolded in Bangkok on March 28, 2015, when a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake rattled the city and its surrounding areas, bringing chaos and destruction in its wake. Among the casualties of this natural disaster was the Office of the Auditor General, a structure still under construction, which buckled and collapsed entirely, claiming lives and leaving a trail of devastation. As the dust settled, authorities confirmed that roughly 70 workers remain unaccounted for, their fates hanging in the balance beneath the wreckage.
Mr. Phatthaphon Srimuang, a dedicated volunteer with the Ruamkatanyu Foundation, stationed at Din Daeng 13 Code, provided a sobering update from the front lines. Alerted to the disaster at 1:00 p.m., rescue teams raced to the site, where they confronted a grim reality: numerous individuals were feared entombed within the twisted remains of the building. By 4:00 p.m., more than 20 survivors had been pulled from the debris, their injuries mercifully minor in most cases. Yet, the toll of the tragedy was undeniable—three fatalities had been confirmed, with the possibility of more yet to be uncovered.
The rescue operation, however, faces formidable challenges. Enormous slabs of cement—once columns and wall panels cast for the building—now lie strewn across the site, their sheer weight and instability posing a lethal barrier. Mr. Phatthaphon explained that these fragments, though appearing dry on the surface, had not fully cured internally, rendering them brittle and prone to shattering under the earthquake’s violent tremors. “We found workers, both Thai and from Myanmar, pinned beneath these slabs,” he recounted. “Some were utterly immobilised, crushed by the concrete. Every move we make to free them demands the utmost caution.”
Amid the urgency to save lives, the task is daunting. The rescue crews initially hoped to conclude their search within two to three days, driven by a relentless determination to reach those still trapped. Yet, as daylight fades, the mission grows ever more perilous. Darkness cloaks the site in additional hazards, threatening the safety of the officers labouring tirelessly amid the rubble.
