Rescue teams in Bangkok worked through the night to find 81 workers trapped under a fallen building after a big earthquake hit on Friday, March 28, 2025. The 33-story tower, not finished yet, was going to be an office for the auditor general. It collapsed when a 7.7 magnitude quake from Myanmar shook the city—600 miles away. Seven workers are dead, and many are still missing. The quake started just after noon. By evening, Bangkok officials said seven had died, up from three earlier. They counted 68 hurt, with five in bad shape. The National Institute for Emergency Medicine said 409 people were working at the site near Chatuchak Market, a busy spot for tourists. Seven got out on their own, but the rest were trapped under a huge pile of broken concrete and metal.
Rescue workers got there fast. According to BBC reporter Tessa Wong who saw them after midnight—hundreds in hard hats running around, lights flashing from police cars and ambulances. Drones flew above, their little lights searching for signs of life. Some flew close to the rubble or into the empty parts still standing. Sniffer dogs sniffed through the mess, while big machines like diggers tried to clear the way.
“It’s so big,” Wong said about the pile, which was taller than the people below.
Thailand’s deputy prime minister, Somsak Thepsuthin, said 81 people were missing—more than the 70 they thought at first. Twenty might be stuck in elevators.
“I heard people yelling for help,” said deputy police chief Worapat Sukthai, speaking to AFP.
A small hospital was set up nearby to help anyone they find. BBC Thai reporter Panisa Aemocha spoke to an 18-year-old worker who got away.
“It happened so fast,” he said, still scared.
The Thai government jumped in quickly. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra met with army leaders at 5 p.m. to plan help, sending soldiers, doctors, and machines to the scene. But it’s tough—Bangkok buildings aren’t made for earthquakes, only floods. A military spokesperson said most of the broken buildings in the city were still being built, like this one.
People crowded behind barriers—locals and tourists—quiet and worried. Chatuchak’s usual noise was gone. Now it was just sirens, shouts, and machines working.
By night, one person was found alive—a bit of good news.
But with small shakes still happening and time running out, everyone’s working hard to save the 81 still trapped.