Photo credit: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill
The operation to remove debris from the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building is projected to take between 30 to 60 days, as search and rescue efforts continue under challenging conditions.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, citing expert assessments, stated that approximately 15,000 cubic meters of rubble, weighing around 40,000 tonnes, will need to be cleared, with less than 5% of the debris removed so far.
The governor announced a strategic shift in response to rescuers’ inability to access areas where more survivors may be found, hindered by heavy piles of concrete, steel, and other debris. The revised plan now involves using heavy machinery to expedite debris removal, facilitating search-and-rescue efforts and aiding in the collection of evidence for ongoing investigations. This marks a departure from the previous method, which focused on manual debris removal due to safety concerns regarding potential survivors.
On Thursday, search teams detected signs of life, prompting the deployment of over 100 personnel to clear a path. By midnight, they reached the vicinity but encountered obstructions from steel and a narrow opening, as reported by the governor.
“We will need heavy machinery for further progress. It weighs on us, but we believe we are doing our best. Heavy machines will play a significant role, yet we maintain hope of finding survivors. Rescue teams remain on standby around the clock, ready to conduct searches once the area is cleared,” he explained.
Governor Chadchart reassured the public about their safety, asserting that confidence in the structural integrity of buildings is likely to be restored, as nearly all structures survived the recent earthquake.
Dr. Wantanee Wattana, permanent secretary at the BMA, announced that psychiatrists have been deployed to assist the victims’ families and offer mental support to the rescue teams, who may be experiencing stress from their duties. She expressed heartfelt gratitude to His Majesty the King for taking all injured victims under royal patronage.
Additionally, Dr. Wantanee urged media outlets to refrain from conflating coverage of earthquake-related damage in Myanmar with the collapsed building incident, cautioning that such reporting could lead to misunderstandings and emotional distress among the families of the victims.
