A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Bangkok this afternoon, killing at least one construction worker and leaving 43 others missing after a high-rise building collapsed in the city’s Chatuchak district. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, who was in Phuket when the quake hit, has declared the capital an emergency zone as rescue teams scramble through the rubble.

Powerful 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar and Thailand, Causing Widespread Damage

Dramatic footage shows the moment the unfinished building gave way, its crane crashing down in an explosion of concrete dust as bystanders screamed. Across Bangkok, the shallow tremor – originating just 10 kilometers underground in Myanmar – sent panicked office workers streaming into the streets.

“I was on the phone when the whole room started swaying violently,” said Somchai, a reporter at Thai PBS World whose second-floor office shook. “Books flew off shelves – we all ran for the stairs.”

Collapsed Building in Bangkok Identified

The construction project that collapsed due to the earthquake is the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building in Bangkok, Thailand. #Earthquake #แผ่นดินไหว pic.twitter.com/d3eiDYGiAA

— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) March 28, 2025

The quake’s impact rippled through the city:

• Rooftop swimming pools sloshed water down skyscrapers
• Subway lines were abruptly shut down
• Phone networks failed, leaving families desperately trying to reach loved ones

At a café on Sukhumvit Road, hanging lights swung wildly as doors mysteriously opened and closed on their own. “My coffee cup danced across the table,” said German tourist Hannah Mueller. “Then everyone just started running.”

With aftershocks still possible, authorities are urging residents to avoid unstable buildings tonight as the search continues for missing construction workers trapped in the Chatuchak collapse. The prime minister is cutting short her Phuket trip to return to the crisis-stricken capital.

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This developing story has been updated with new casualty figures. Refresh for latest updates.

-Thailand News (TN)