Several high-rise buildings in Bangkok were evacuated this morning (31 March) after occupants reported feeling vibrations. However, the authorities have asked people not to panic and said that there was no aftershock that could have affected Thailand at that time.

Building A of the Chaengwattana Government Complex, the Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court, the Ministry of Labour, the Government Housing Bank’s head office, the Revenue Department’s headquraters, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation office, and the King Taksin Memorial Hospital were reported to have been evacuated at around 9.00 – 10.00 this morning (31 March) due to aftershock concerns.

Following reports of the evacuations, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra posted on her X account that no earthquake has been reported in Thailand and aftershocks in Myanmar were unlikely to be felt in Thailand. She asked that building owners follow a directive from the Bangkok governor and urgently inspect their buildings to clearly determine the scale of damage. To ensure safety, they should conduct the inspection before reopening the building. Although she wrote that the decision to evacuate a building is at the discretion of each organization, she urges that such a decision is made based on verified information from official sources.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt, meanwhile, asked people to stay calm. He said that the aftershocks are small and unlikely to affect Thailand. He also said that buildings that got through the earthquake on Friday (28 March) are unlikely collapse now since they can still bear their own weight, and buildings will usually move with the wind or other forces, so people should not worry too much.

Chadchart said that building owners can call the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA)’s 1555 hotline if they find new cracks or if they have any genuine concern, and the BMA will send an inspection team.

The Meteorological Department said that aftershocks that occurred in Myanmar are too small to affect Thailand. The Department of Mineral Resources said that no earthquake was recorded in Thailand. A 3.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded east of Mandalay, Myanmar, but a small earthquake in Myanmar usually does not affect Thailand.

It was reported that Building A of the Chaengwattana Government Complex was evacuated because someone heard the building crack and saw falling debris. A crack was found, so an evacuation order was made.

The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Ministry of Interior, said that occupants in the building evacuated out of panic. The Department said that the Meteorological Department confirmed that there was no aftershock that could affect Thailand. The Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department’s Praram 199 command centre also said that there was a misunderstanding. An employee working in the building found a crack which occurred during Friday’s quake and notified buildng staff who sounded the evacuation alarm. There was no vibration or additional cracks.

Meanwhile, the Revenue Department said that the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning inspected the Revenue Department’s headquarters over the weekend. No structural damage was found in any of the three buildings, but there was some damage to the wall and ceiling in the main 27-storey building. Experts from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning has asked that the building be closed until there are no more aftershocks and that some basic repairs be made before the building is reopened. The Revenue Department is having officials who work in the building work from home for 2 weeks or work from other department locations.