Thread: Earthquake in Thailand

Originally Posted by Simon43

I'm currently in Chiang Mai

Be kind to your lungs

Originally Posted by DrWilly

Indeed so, David. All the international coverage is centred on hiso and tourists in Bangkok, yet the pics out of Burma show absolute destruction on an already vulnerable and displaced population.

Most of the international coverage was at first focussing on the plight of the workers under the rubble in chatuchak and thats because there was very little news coming out of burma to broadcast.

There were also a lot of attention grabbing videos of rooftop swimming pools emptying, and perhaps that is what you mean when you promote your "concerned citizen" credentials by making remarks about the hi so and the tourists.

This vid came up in my feed due to the YT algorithm. The damage to his condo unit is shown at around 5 min mark, if you don't want to hear his yapping. I would assume that several high rises in BKK would have similar cracks or damage.

Spoiler - he left his condo to stay w/ a friend since he doesn't feel safe in his building.



^just reinforces the reason why I'll never buy a condo unit nor live full-time in a high rise building in PH.

Edit: the damage is shown at around 02:35 min.

^ That’s pretty bad damage. He’s right to leave that place at least until it’s inspected.

There’s no way I would live further than three floors up. I want to be able to leave though a back door if necessary.

^I don't blame you. For me, 3rd or 4th floor maximum too. Some years ago, I worked in Manila and our office was on the 12th floor of a high rise building. Looking back, I'm glad that I didn't experience any earthquake during the time that I worked there.

Here's another vid of damage to a condo building in BKK. The damage is shown at ~3:01 min. Accdg to the vlogger, some expats are now leaving BKK or TH since (and not finishing their leases) because of the experience. Can't blame them. If that was one's first earthquake (a 7+ magnitude), it can be traumatising.

Luckily (or maybe unluckily), my first quake was an 8.0 (prolly 7+ in my area) and I've been accustomed to it, just like experiencing strong typhoons. (similar to one who lives in California, I guess).

Here's the vid. Damage to condo at 3 min.

After living in San Francisco though a big earthquake, this one didn’t affect me. My best friend, who is Thai, is having anxiety attacks now. She was at her house when this happened and didn’t have damage but shook to her core.

Originally Posted by Simon43

Yes, I'm currently in Chiang Mai, big tremors felt here.

I left Mandalay a few weeks ago. I'm trying to contact my old school in the city, but I guess emails are not getting through right now...

Good to know that you're safe in CM. I hope your colleagues, friends and the people in the orphanages that you support are safe.

Btw, how's the air quality in CM now? Miss kit or anyone?

@misskit - I hope your Thai friend gets better (mentally/ emotionally). I've heard interviews of Thai ppl and they say that it's the 1st quake that they've ever experienced.

I've also heard the interview (phone interview) of a Filipino teacher/ professor living in BKK. He was in their faculty room (w/ colleagues) when the quake happened. They were on the 3rd or 4th floor, I think. He said his Thai colleagues panicked & didn't know what to do. He (being Filipino) knew the basics - duck, cover & hold - so he shouted to his colleagues to go under their tables or desks during the quake. After the tremors, he told them to evacuate the building via the stairs. There were a couple of ppl who wanted to use the lift but he told them that it's not a good idea. (In PH, for maybe 7 or 8 yrs now, we've had regular fire/ EQ drills because we're expecting "the big one". We're also required to have a "go bag" at our desks/ offices.)

Air quality is shite but no one much paying attention right now.

An earthquake of that intensity not being common here, they don’t know what to do. They just get little rumbles now and again.

Immediately after this quake, I got out my passport, cash, and bank books, and put them in a to go backpack. Moved the car out into the street because it’s under a tile roofed carport that always seemed dodgy to me. It was blazing hot that day and I intended to sit in the air conditioned car if the power went out!

^yeah, it's good to have a "go bag". Put some food (canned food, biscuits, etc) & water there too, as well as a flashlight, change of clothes & whatever you may think is necessary. The food in my "go bag" needs to be changed/ consumed every once in a while because of the expiry dates. Stay safe.

Originally Posted by Shutree

Interesting, it concludes that the calculations reslted in foundations that were too conservative, so too expensive and stronger than strictly necessary.

If we put less rebar and cement it we can split the difference?

^thanks for the graphic, boney. Very interesting.

Based on vids that I've seen from various YouTubers in TH, many condo buildings have cracks on the walls, chipped off pieces of concrete, etc. Buildings would need to be inspected before allowing people to live there again. I wonder how many expats & tourists will avoid high rise condos & hotels in the near future?) If I was in that situation, I wouldn't want to stay in a high rise for the next month or so.)

Originally Posted by Shutree

it concludes that the calculations reslted in foundations that were too conservative

Its not just founadtions, its the support column size, number and how the rebar is tied. I suspect many high rises in BBK affected per Katies vids have catastrophic failure, that damage cannot be filled in which i suspect knowing Thais will be the "solution" on some buildings, many will need to be pulled down. Have to feel for the owners, even those who's buildings are OK, i suspect potential renters will be very wary of taking leases.

This is Duangtawan Condo in Chiang Mai off of Loi Kroh Road. Not Duangtawan Hotel.



Don’t think a little plaster will fix this one!

^ that's fucked​

I love how they're still all parked under there.

^

safety is an alien concept to the thai but westerners take it to extremes.

Perhaps they parked there before the earthquake and are too scared to retrieve them

Don't panic, another shake rattle and roll 7.1 near Tonga.

^there was also a magnitude 5.1 aftershock today in Myanmar...

In one Bangkok YouTuber's vid (listened to it while doing chores), he said that his condo building management texted him and said that residents won't be allowed to live in the building for two months (for inspection & repairs, probably). The guy showed cracks on the walls, burst pipes/ leaks on the floor, chipped off concrete in the hallways & stairwell, etc. I did a bit sorry for him since he was young (prolly in his 20s). He said it was his 1st earthquake and he still looked a bit shocked or overwhelmed (and he needs to find other accoms for 2 months).

We were talking to a Thai couple last night they are staying in a hotel because their condo hasn't got a water supply. They are not sure how long it going to take to repair.

Yes, I immediately thought of that story upon watching that building collapse.

How much more substandard crap will they be hauling from China to Singapore down their new hunky dory highway?

Originally Posted by Molle

How much did they sell before being busted and where did it go?

Originally Posted by Molle

inspectors have ordered the company to recall sold items before proceeding with legal action.

well at least they can recover the steel from that Chinkie built building now its fallen down