CHIANG RAI: The Japanese consulate-general has handed over an earthquake-resistant building to a nursery-primary school in Mae Lao district severely damaged by a quake five years ago.
Hiroshi Matsumoto, consul-general to Chiang Mai province, handed over the new four-classroom building to Surasak Benjapalaporn, head of Mae Lao kindergarten, last Friday.
Built at a cost of 7.3 million baht, the steel structure was funded with a grant from the Japanese government. The school suffered major damage from a 6.3 magnitude earthquake on May 5, 2014. It was only two kilometres from the epicentre.
Mr Matsumoto said the new school building is the first quake-resistant structure in Thailand.
There are currently 136 children in eight classes at Mae Lao kindergarten. Most are from underprivileged families.
A section of Highway 118 hit by the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in the northernmost province of Chiang Rai on May 5, 2014. (File photo by Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)