Mon Mar 31 07:49:52 UTC 2025: ## Hope Flickers Amidst Devastation in Bangkok Building Collapse

**Bangkok, Thailand –** A glimmer of hope persists amidst the wreckage of a 33-story building that collapsed in Bangkok last week following a major earthquake in Myanmar. While the 72-hour window for survival has passed, authorities are clinging to a slim chance of finding survivors among the 76 people still missing under tons of rubble.

Bangkok Deputy Governor Tavida Kamolvej announced that rescuers may have located something under the debris, but it remains unclear whether it is a living person or simply more wreckage. Despite the low probability of survival, officials have vowed to continue the search for at least a month, deploying robots, heavy machinery, sniffer dogs, and thermal imaging drones to aid in the effort. International agencies, including US special forces, are assisting in the rescue operation.

Police have acknowledged the grim reality, stating that the likelihood of finding survivors is less than one percent. The ongoing rescue efforts are being hampered by adverse weather conditions, including overnight rain and continued overcast skies. The collapsed building, which was under construction for the Thai government’s State Audit Office and was slated to cost $59 billion upon completion, was located in Bangkok’s popular Chatu Chak market.

The earthquake, which measured 7.7 in magnitude, has resulted in at least 18 deaths in Bangkok, mostly construction workers trapped in the collapsed building. In neighboring Myanmar, the devastation is even more profound, with over 1,700 fatalities and hundreds more still missing. While rescue efforts are winding down in Myanmar due to the diminishing chances of survival, a few miraculous rescues have been reported.

Myanmar’s junta leader has issued an unprecedented international plea for aid, a stark contrast to the regime’s typical rejection of foreign assistance. Hospitals in Myanmar are overwhelmed, with thousands injured and hundreds still unaccounted for. The searing temperatures in Myanmar are also complicating rescue operations and accelerating decomposition. While the situation is dire, the determination of rescuers in both Bangkok and Myanmar to find any remaining survivors remains unwavering.

Read More