BANGKOK — The rhythmic hum of electric trains returned to parts of Bangkok on Saturday morning as most of the capital’s mass transit systems gradually resumed operations following yesterday’s powerful earthquake. But for thousands of daily commuters, the return to normalcy remains incomplete, with two critical lines still shuttered for safety inspections.

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The Mass Rapid Transit Authority confirmed that while the Blue and Purple lines began running at dawn, the elevated Pink and Yellow monorail lines will remain silent for at least another day. “Our engineers are conducting thorough structural checks,” an MRT spokesperson explained, standing beneath the motionless tracks of the Pink Line in Nonthaburi. “We understand the inconvenience, but safety cannot be compromised.” Across the city, digital displays at silent stations flashed the same message: “Service suspended until further notice.”

The BTS Skytrain’s familiar chimes once again echo through downtown stations, with the Airport Link reconnecting the city to Suvarnabhumi and the seldom-used Golden Line operational along the Chao Phraya River. Even the Red Line suburban trains are running, though with noticeably lighter Saturday crowds as many Bangkokians choose to stay home.

People in Bangkok walked home from work on Friday after light rail mass transit in the capital was suspended until Saturday morning and heavy congestion left commuters stuck on streets in the wake of an earthquake that made the city into a disaster zone.pic.twitter.com/YTSRmgPh90

— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) March 28, 2025

This cautious reopening comes exactly 24 hours after the entire network shuddered to an unprecedented halt when earthquake tremors rippled through the capital from Myanmar’s Mandalay region. The 7.7-magnitude quake not only paralyzed transit but toppled a government high-rise under construction in Chatuchak, where rescue teams are still battling to reach dozens of trapped workers beneath twisted steel and concrete.

At Mo Chit Station, just kilometers from the collapse site, commuters glanced nervously at cracks in ceiling panels as trains rumbled through. “I keep thinking about aftershocks,” admitted office worker Pimchanok Srisawat, gripping a handrail tightly. “But what choice do we have? Life must go on.”

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Transport officials promise real-time updates about the suspended lines, though engineers privately admit some elevated sections may need reinforcement before reopening. As Bangkok takes its first tremulous steps toward recovery, the silent monorail tracks serve as a stark reminder of how quickly disaster can disrupt the rhythms of this bustling metropolis—and how long the road to full recovery may be.

-Thailand News (TN)