Bangkok: Speeding up efforts to open three critical points where disaster victims remain trapped, authorities aim to find the remaining 12 bodies with the help of K9 units. It is anticipated that results will be concluded within two days before potentially canceling the disaster area designation.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Suriyachai Rawiwan, Director of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office of Bangkok (DPPB), provided updates on the search mission for individuals trapped in the Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building, which collapsed due to an earthquake on March 28, 2015. Three zones, AB and D, are suspected areas where victims may still be trapped. Investigators and forensic officers have reported that 12 victims remain unaccounted for. The three remaining areas to be searched, including Zone D beyond the building, are not very deep, and efforts will continue until reaching the sand layer, where no further search is necessary.
Mr. Suriyachai further explained that Zone A, connecting to Zone D at the front, still has a suspected point of entrapment. This area will be opened to confirm that no additional victims remain. Zone B, a hill adjacent to the building, has shown potential evidence of victims according to a K9 inspection and reports of intermittent odors from on-site staff. Efforts are underway to remove cement debris to reach the indicated point.
In Zone B, steel cutting and cement separation are planned for safety. The search areas for missing bodies are expected to be accessible if no additional obstacles arise. Heavy machinery won’t be directly used on the partially broken basement foundation; instead, mechanical arms and gas cutters will be employed to manage the debris safely.
The search has expanded to a scrap dump site near the State Railway of Thailand behind the Central Juvenile and Family Court. Drones will capture aerial images to create a grid for the search team, with additional volunteers and K9 units conducting thorough inspections.
A joint meeting of relevant agencies is scheduled this afternoon to verify information about the missing persons. The number of missing has been adjusted from 103 to 109. An in-depth analysis will confirm the last known locations of the missing individuals, using forensic evidence to match DNA with relatives for identity confirmation. This data will inform the Director of Chatuchak District’s decision on whether to cancel the public disaster area designation.