The rescue operation at the site of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building continued for the fifth day on Wednesday as hope of finding survivors flickers on, said Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt.
In this phase, rescues go hand in hand with recovery, meaning the focus is also on removing large pieces of debris and cutting up huge concrete slabs while monitoring for signs of life, he said.
About 100 tonnes of concrete had been removed as of Monday night, making way for the rescuers to enter even though no more survivors were found, he said. A total of 14 bodies have been detected but they have yet to be brought out.
“Heavy machinery brings risks of collapsing debris,” said Mr Chadchart. “But we are in discussions with an international team of experts and I accept all criticism so long as I can improve things.”
Prof Pennueng Vanichchai, director of the Earthquake Research Centre of Thailand, called for more studies into active fault lines which may result in new earthquakes, at a Tuesday seminar in Bangkok.
There are many such faults in Southeast Asia but those in Myanmar are more powerful than their counterparts here, he said.
Prof Pennueng suggested more attention be paid to putting up quake-proof buildings even though Bangkok is considered a low-risk area for temblors.
The quake last Friday was recorded as being at the first of three levels, according to a gauge used as a construction standard for high-rises.
Funds should be given for strengthening buildings to withstand tremors, he said.
This would require 10%-20% of the budget for a new building, to be used to strengthen an already existing building, he added, paying particular attention to school buildings in Chiang Rai in the North.
In one research project, tremor sensors have been installed in tall buildings, including at hospitals in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, to collect data for real-time processing and inputting into a quake alert system, Prof Pennueng said.
Klang Hospital in Bangkok will be the first in the capital to join the project.
