One year on: The collapse that Bangkok cannot forget

2026-03-28 - 00:40

“What were you doing at 13:20 on 28 March 2025?” That moment is now etched into memory. When the Sagaing Fault shifted deep beneath Myanmar, a powerful earthquake struck with devastating force, sending tremors across Thailand and turning an ordinary afternoon into one of Bangkok’s darkest days. Buildings swayed. People stumbled. Elevators shook violently. Across the capital, panic spread as residents rushed out of high-rises, many leaving everything behind. Some fled with only towels wrapped around them. Others helped elderly parents down staircases. Fear gripped the city. Even today, the scars remain. Cracked walls, damaged ceilings and unrepaired condominiums stand as quiet reminders of the disaster one year on. From pride to tragedy Minutes after the quake, crowds gathered in the Chatuchak area, staring at what had once been a towering construction site. The 33-storey building, intended to become the new headquarters of Thailand’s State Audit Office, had stood tall just moments earlier. Built on a 10-rai site along Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, the project carried a budget of more than 2 billion baht. If completed, it would have overlooked Chatuchak Park and Bang Sue Grand Station — a symbol of progress and ambition. But at 13:20, everything changed. Seconds before collapse As the tremors intensified, workers inside the building panicked. Some on the upper floors, including the 29th, gathered together in fear. “I thought I would never make it home to my mother,” a Myanmar worker later recalled. “I came into this world alone. I thought I would die alone.” Moments later, concrete began to fall. Then came the collapse. From the outside, onlookers noticed the building swaying unnaturally. Many raised their phones, recording what they feared might happen — hoping it would not. But within minutes, the worst unfolded. The structure gave way, collapsing floor by floor into a cloud of dust and debris. At first, some believed the footage was fake — generated or from another country. It was not. It was happening in Bangkok. Survival and loss A survivor said he was thrown from the 29th floor, landing amid the rubble. Bleeding and disoriented, he struggled to free himself. “I looked around and saw nothing but debris,” he said. “My leg was trapped, but I managed to pull myself out and crawl to safety.” He heard no cries for help — only silence, and the weight of what had just happened. “I still remember those who didn’t make it,” he said. A tragedy that lingers At least 93 people were confirmed dead, with three others reported missing. Many more were injured. Most victims were construction workers, including migrant labourers. In the aftermath, authorities pledged accountability. The State Audit Office paid 129 million baht in compensation to victims’ families, while 23 suspects were charged. Investigations into possible construction failures and official negligence remain ongoing, with the case under review by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Nearly a year later, a representative of the agency publicly apologised, saying the tragedy continues to weigh heavily. “The words ‘building collapse’ will stay with us forever,” he said. Waiting for justice For families, the pain has not faded. Punch, the daughter of two victims, lost both parents that day. She is still waiting for justice — and for compensation that has yet to reach many, especially non-Thai victims. “As this day comes closer, I think more and more about it,” she said quietly. A memory that will not fade One year on, the site remains more than just a construction failure. It is a grave, a symbol, and a scar on the city. This is not just sorrow. It is trauma — a memory many wish to forget but cannot. Even passing by is too much for some. “I don’t even want to look,” Punch said.