Bangkok High-Rise Collapses Following 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake in Thailand and Myanmar

BANGKOK – A high-rise building under construction in Bangkok came crashing down after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Thailand and neighboring Myanmar around midday on Friday, according to local police. The number of casualties remains unknown at this time.

A dramatic video circulating on social media captured the moment the multi-story structure, which had a crane on top, collapsed into a massive cloud of dust as shocked bystanders screamed and ran for safety.

Authorities told The Associated Press that emergency responders were rushing to the site near Chatuchak Market, a well-known shopping hub in Bangkok. However, it was unclear how many workers were present at the construction site when the building fell.

Strong Aftershocks Cause Panic

Shortly after the initial tremor, a 6.4 magnitude aftershock struck, prompting officials to advise residents to remain outside as further seismic activity was possible.

“Suddenly, the whole building started shaking. There was immediate screaming and widespread panic,” said Fraser Morton, a Scottish tourist who was in a Bangkok shopping mall looking for camera equipment at the time.

“I initially tried to walk out calmly, but when the shaking intensified, panic took over. People were running the wrong way down escalators, there was a lot of crashing and banging inside the mall,” he recounted.

Like thousands of other residents and visitors in central Bangkok, Morton sought refuge in Benjasiri Park, away from the city’s many high-rise structures.

“I finally got outside and looked up to see the whole building swaying, with dust and debris falling. It was intense—absolute chaos,” he added.

Epicenter in Myanmar, Major Damage Reported

The U.S. Geological Survey and Germany’s GFZ Center for Geosciences reported that the earthquake had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and was centered in Myanmar.

In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, the quake damaged portions of the former royal palace and several buildings, as seen in photos and videos shared on Facebook.

Although the region frequently experiences earthquakes, it is not densely populated, and most structures are low-rise.

However, in Myanmar’s Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, a 90-year-old bridge collapsed, and parts of the highway linking Mandalay to Yangon, the country’s largest city, sustained damage.

In Yangon, residents rushed outside as the tremors struck, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities.

Meanwhile, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar’s capital, the quake caused religious shrines to crumble, and some homes suffered structural damage.

Chaos in Bangkok as Buildings Shake

The earthquake, which struck Bangkok around 1:30 p.m., set off alarms in buildings across the city. Residents in high-rise condominiums and hotels were quickly evacuated via staircases.

The greater Bangkok metropolitan area, home to over 17 million people, saw dramatic scenes as rooftop swimming pools overflowed, and debris tumbled from multiple buildings.

Zsuzsanna Vari-Kovacs, a Hungarian national living in Bangkok, described her experience:

“I’ve been in earthquakes before in Myanmar, but those were just brief tremors—one sudden jolt. This one, though, lasted for at least a minute,” she explained.

“My husband was in a high-rise when it happened, which is even more terrifying.”

Government Response

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention confirmed that tremors were felt in nearly every region of the country.

In response, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra convened an emergency meeting to assess the disaster’s impact and determine necessary measure.