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Search Efforts Enter Tenth Day with 78 Still Missing After Bangkok Building Collapse

This Week

Thai authorities continue to ramp up search operations following the collapse of a Chinese-owned 30-storey skyscraper in Bangkok on 28 March, with 78 people still reported missing and the death toll rising to 16.

On 6 April, rescue teams located two individuals believed to be among the missing after an extensive search through the rubble. However, officials have yet to confirm the identities of the recovered bodies.

According to Thairath, heavy machinery has been brought in to dig, drill, and dismantle the debris, as teams work to locate and rescue those potentially trapped beneath the collapsed State Audit Office building. 

A staff member from Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Center, speaking anonymously in a phone interview with the Laotian Times, confirmed that the search will continue indefinitely, with no specific end date set.

“Currently, there has been no order to stop the investigation to find the missing people,” he said. “They [the rescue team] will keep on searching until they can declare that they have investigated every nook and cranny of the ruins and find the remaining missing people.”

Efforts include clearing concrete and steel to widen access points and spraying water to reduce dust in the air. Authorities also discovered cavities connecting zones B and C—main entry and exit points for workers—suggesting further voids may exist below ground.

To support the operation, Chinese Deputy Ambassador to Thailand, Wu Zhiwu, pledged additional aid. 

On Sunday, he visited the site to deliver personal protective equipment to frontline workers, including dust masks, gloves, protective suits, and other safety gear. Wu also observed the ongoing rescue efforts alongside Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and other officials, offering encouragement to the teams on the ground.

The Chinese embassy in Bangkok has also called on Chinese companies operating abroad to comply strictly with local laws, following increased scrutiny of the Chinese construction firm behind the collapsed building. 

The embassy urged full cooperation with Thai authorities as investigations continue into the cause of the collapse, which occurred in the aftermath of a 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit parts of Thailand and neighboring countries.

Meanwhile, the local partner in the project, Italian-Thai Development, extended condolences to the victims and their families, stating it was “confident” the incident would not affect its other ongoing developments.

Rescue efforts continue around the clock, with government and private agencies working in coordination to locate the remaining missing people and provide support to those affected by the tragedy.

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