In brief
Rescue efforts continue as approximately 80 individuals remain unaccounted for following the collapse of a 30-story building under construction, raising serious safety concerns.
In the heart of Bangkok, a catastrophic building collapse has plunged families into despair as they await news of their loved ones. The disaster struck a 30-story office tower, a significant project undertaken by a Chinese state-owned construction company, during an earthquake that rattled the region on March 28, 2025.Witnesses reported that moments before the structure gave way, Aubonrat Setnawet, an electrician's helper, was working alongside her husband on the 23rd floor when she felt a sudden shudder. Rushing to the ground floor using the construction elevator to fetch equipment, she experienced a terrifying moment as the tower transformed into a pile of rubble. After several attempts to contact her husband, Nuguy Setnawet, she found her calls going unanswered.As search and rescue teams comb through the debris, the grim reality sets in: only a few bodies have been recovered, with eight found on Friday and just one more on Saturday. Approximately 80 individuals are currently unaccounted for, leaving families in a state of uncertainty and anguish."I am still here waiting, waiting for a miracle," Ms. Aubonrat expressed, as she remained at the site absorbing the heartbreaking scene around her. Family members and friends of those trapped below the rubble gather in anticipated hope, while experts deliberate on the construction safety protocols that may have failed, hinting at a “not normal” occurrence during the collapse. As the sun sets over Bangkok, the fate of many still hangs in the balance, underscoring the urgent need for rigorous safety standards in construction practices especially in seismically active regions.
