PERSONAL: Relative of missing Thai construction workers waited day, night to see her loved ones

Record ID: 1986444

  • Title: PERSONAL: Relative of missing Thai construction workers waited day, night to see her loved ones
  • Date: 29th March 2025
  • Summary: DIGGER WORKING AT COLLAPSED CONSTRUCTION SITE OFFICERS STANDING AND HUDDLING NEAR RUBBLE DIGGER SCOOPING AND DUMPING SOIL (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) 39-YEAR-OLD CONSTRUCTION WORKER, CHANPEN KAEWNOI, SAYING: "I came here since 4:00 p.m. (0900 GMT) yesterday and have been waiting through night and day. I haven't slept until now, I want to wait for my mother and sister." VARIOUS OF C
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Myanmar Thailand building collapsed construction workers earthquake missing relative
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • City: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Asia / Pacific,Disaster/Accidents,Earthquakes/Volcanoes/Tsunami
  • Reuters ID: LVA005262329032025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: A massive pile of rubble is all Thai construction worker Chanpen Kaewnoi has to go by in the search for her loved ones.
    The 39-year-old has been waiting outside the site of a collapsed building in Bangkok, after tremors from a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in neighbouring Myanmar toppled it, for her missing mother and younger sister who had been working inside it on Friday (March 28).
    "I hope that my mother and sister are still alive", she told Reuters as she continued her wait on Saturday (March 29).
    At least nine people have been killed in Thailand from the effects of Friday's quake, eight of which were at the collapsed building.
    Chanpen was working at another construction site at the time of the tremors in Bangkok. When she tried to call her sister, there was no connection.
    "I'm in shock. I never thought it would be this building and I didn't think my sister was working inside this building too. I prayed at first that they were not working here, then once I arrived to scene and saw (the rubble), my knees sank," she said.
    Authorities are using excavators, drones and search-and-rescue dogs to try to extricate 30 people still stuck under the rubble, including at least 15 still showing signs of life.
    "I want to see their faces again", said Chanpen as diggers continued to clear debris behind.
    (Production: Artorn Pookasook, Thomas Suen, Juarawee Kittisilpa)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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