When the powerful earthquake that struck Myanmar sent shockwaves to Thailand, Naruemon Thonglek had no idea that it had also caused a high-rise building to collapse in Bangkok. It wasn’t until she saw images of the wreckage on the news that she realized the building was the same one where her long-time Burmese partner, his son, and four of her friends had been working for the past month.
“My legs gave out. I lost all strength in my hands,” Naruemon recalled. “After the quake stopped, I called and messaged him, but there was no response. I sent him voice messages, but he never read them. That’s when I knew for sure he must have been inside.”
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.7, claimed over 1,700 lives in Myanmar. In Bangkok, the collapse claimed at least 18 lives, with 78 people still missing. The collapse occurred more than 800 miles from Myanmar’s epicenter. Thai authorities are racing against time to find survivors, as the critical 72-hour window for rescue efforts closes. Though sounds of life have been detected beneath the debris, only one person has been rescued so far.
Tavida Kamolvej, Bangkok’s deputy governor, urged urgency in the rescue efforts. “Every second really counts,” she said.
Among the missing are the mother and younger sister of Chanpen Kaewnoi, who had been working at the site for a couple of months. Chanpen said she could not reach them after the quake but learned from a survivor that they were on the fifth floor of the 30-story building when it collapsed.
“He told me they ran from the fifth floor, and once he reached the ground, the building just collapsed,” she said. “He couldn’t find my mom and my sister. It was just a split second, and he lost them.”
Naruemon’s partner, Kyi Tan, and the other five individuals were assigned to work much higher up, on the 26th floor. Although he had extensive construction experience, this was his first high-rise project. Before leaving for work that morning, he mentioned staying late to complete his tasks by the end of the month.
Neither Naruemon nor Chanpen had heard any safety concerns raised by their loved ones while working at the building.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse amid growing worries about the safety and construction quality of Bangkok’s high-rise buildings. The city governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, has ordered a comprehensive inspection of all high-rise structures in the capital.
Videos from the scene show the building, intended to house the new State Audit Office, trembling before collapsing, sending a massive dust cloud into the sky as people fled in panic.
When Naruemon arrived at the site the following day, the sight of the ruins left her devastated.
“I had a meltdown. I could only pray. I kept calling for them,” she said. “I wanted them to come back. I was so devastated. I didn’t know what to do.”
For two days, Naruemon, along with family and friends, remained near the site, hoping for news as rescue teams worked tirelessly. She prayed and performed religious rites, asking for divine protection for her loved ones.
“I want everyone trapped there to be found. In whatever condition, I’m okay with it,” she said. “I’ve already made some peace with it. It’s been a few days now. A part of me still hopes they will survive—a miracle, if it exists.”
