Bangkok, April 17th, 2025 — Rescue efforts continued at the site of the collapsed Office of the State Audit building, which came down during a powerful earthquake in Myanmar on March 28th. The disaster has left 103 people affected, including 42 confirmed dead, two bodies pending identification, nine injured, and 50 still unaccounted for.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) spokesperson Ekwaranyu Amrapal reported that since April 16th, efforts have focused on reducing the building’s rubble height—from 26 meters to 13 meters—making rescue operations more efficient.
Steel beams are now being cut faster using gas torches deployed across multiple points, with support from military, volunteer, and city teams.
Debris transport has also been ramped up with 22 trucks now operating, up from 14, allowing for 170 removal trips yesterday alone. Authorities are currently preparing new dumping areas to match the increased pace of debris clearance.
Meanwhile, structural damage assessments of nearby homes have been delayed as many owners are away for the Songkran holidays. Residents are urged to contact officials upon their return to schedule inspections.
While earlier delays were due to obstructive steel structures, the main challenge now is clearing rubble swiftly enough to keep up with the accelerated pace of operations. The mission remains on track for completion by the end of April.
