Tall buildings in Bangkok built before 2007 should undergo safety inspections after Monday’s earthquake in Chiang Rai was felt in the capital, urged the Engineering Institute of Thailand.
Suchatchawi Suwansawat, institute president, said that buildings exceeding seven stories constructed prior to 2007 should have safety inspections to identify any weaknesses or damage from the quake. Changes in building codes required that structures built after 2007 be able to withstand magnitude 7.0 earthquakes, according to NNT.
Monday’s quake was the most severe on record in Thailand, Suchatchawi said, because the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake in Chiang Rai was only seven kilometers deep. He called on state agencies and people in Phayao, Chiang Rai and Lampang – provinces located along the fault line responsible for the quake – to monitor the situation until the end of Wednesday. With thunderstorms common during this period, he also urged for structures situated in the hills to be checked and vigilance for landslides in areas within 50 kilometers of the epicenter in Phan district.
Photo: Coconuts Bangkok
