March 28, 2025 — Bangkok | Rescuers dug through broken steel and concrete in Bangkok on Friday, trying to save 43 workers trapped under a collapsed 30-story skyscraper after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake rocked the city. Eight people are confirmed dead, and time is running out as aftershocks keep shaking the ground. The quake, which struck just after midday, was centered near Mandalay in Myanmar. It brought down the unfinished tower near Chatuchak Market—a China Railway Construction project being built for Thailand’s auditor general. Seven workers made it out alive, some bleeding. “We heard yells, then it went quiet,” said rescuer Somchai Kittisak, brushing dust from his face. “It’s tough to reach them.” Teams with dogs and machines worked through the night under floodlights. But by evening, four aftershocks had hit, each one forcing crews to pause. “Each shake could drop more on them,” warned Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is overseeing the operation. He said 43 people are still unaccounted for, though that number could change—families are crowding the site, calling out names and hoping for signs of life.
The collapse threw Bangkok into disarray. Tall buildings swayed, streets gridlocked, and both the BTS Skytrain and MRT subway systems shut down. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra declared the area a disaster zone and urged calm: “We’re doing all we can.” The U.S. Geological Survey says it’s Thailand’s strongest quake since 1930. Cracks have formed in nearby buildings, and a burst water pipe has flooded part of the market. For the workers still trapped, every minute matters. One survivor, pulled out after three hours, said he heard tapping sounds coming from deeper in the rubble. Rescuers say the next 24 hours will decide who lives.
The death toll is rising—eight confirmed dead in Bangkok, and at least 144 reported dead in Myanmar. No one’s ruling out more aftershocks.