The new Office of the Auditor General building under construction in Chatuchak district collapsed after tremors from an earthquake in Myanmar shook buildings across Bangkok on Friday afternoon. So far, three deaths have been confirmed from the 81 workers initially reported missing.
The building, a 33-story structure under construction, was located on a 4-rai, 2-ngan plot next to an auditorium and parking area on State Railway land, surrounded by metal sheet fencing.
The construction was a collaborative effort between Italian-Thai Development and a Chinese company.
The collapse occurred at 1:20 PM on March 28, prompting construction site workers to flee in panic as dust clouds reduced visibility in the area.
Rescue teams swiftly provided first aid to the injured in safe zones and used backhoes and specialized equipment to rescue those trapped before urgently transporting them to hospitals.
Somsak Sadkaew, a 67-year-old foreman with TTSW Engineering Limited, reported that before the collapse, he heard cracking sounds from the concrete floors but was unable to pinpoint their origin while on a lower floor.
He escaped outdoors and noticed the crane atop the building swaying, confirming his suspicion of an earthquake. Roughly 10 minutes later, the building gave way.
He noted that normally, about 170 workers from various companies would be inside the building during work hours.
He remarked on the timing of the incident, suggesting that casualties would have been significantly higher had the collapse occurred around 4:00 PM during the shift change.
The ruins of the collapsed 33-story State Audit Office building, a $63 million project near Bangkok’s Chatuchak Weekend Market, fell due to the earthquake tremors on March 28, 2025.
Bangkok Governor Announces Disaster Zones
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has issued a declaration from the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Command Center identifying disaster zones within the city.
Significant damage occurred at the Office of the Auditor General building in Chatuchak and a construction crane in Din Daeng district, with other buildings also showing signs of damage.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has deployed volunteer engineers to assess safety at nearly 200 sites based on public reports.
Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai arrived on the scene at 2:30 PM and established a joint command center to support the victims.
He directed military personnel to collaborate with rescue teams and relevant organizations to rapidly clear debris and locate any injured or deceased individuals.
He emphasized the rarity of such an earthquake in Bangkok, noting it as unprecedented in the last century, with ongoing concerns about potential aftershocks necessitating vigilant monitoring.
The Prime Minister is reportedly on her way to inaugurate an operations center.
Officials are actively searching for people trapped under the rubble of the collapsed State Audit Office building in Chatuchak, Bangkok, which fell during construction due to the earthquake tremors on March 28, 2025.
