Following the Earthquake: Crucial Insights when the World Experiences a Shift
Hangin' with the Big Ones: Bangkok's Earthquake Challenges and How to Survive 'Em
At the Knowledge Forum 2025 held at Chulalongkorn University, with the theme "Post-Shake: Learning from Wobbles - Knowledge We Need When the World Rattles", experts dug into how Bangkok can better brace for the seismic shocks it encounters.
The gathering featured a mix of heavy-hitting experts from various fields:
- Pennung Warnitchai, the kingpin of the Structural Engineering Program at the AIT
- Amorn Pimanmas, the big cheese of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association (TSEA)
- Alongkorn Parivudhiphongs, the acting VP for Research and International Affairs at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Communication Arts
- Poomipak Julmanichoti, the right-hand man of Sansiri Plc. as the Chief Strategy Officer
Together, they provided a spectrum of perspectives on Bangkok's seismic uncertainties and the actions needed before the next shake-up.
Bangkok Felt the Wobble - But Why?
- The gigantic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit central Myanmar on March 28 might have seemed a world away, but it still managed to rock Bangkok.
- Those long-period ground motions, which can travel enormous distances, reached the capital, setting tall buildings in motion.
- These long-period waves resonate with high-rise edifices, particularly those built on squishy soil, causing an amplification of the jiggle.
Squishy Soil = Intense Jiggles
- Bangkok is built on a spongy-soil basin.
- This soil amps up seismic waves by up to four times, beefing up tremors to make them feel stronger than in neighboring provinces with denser earth.
- The phenomenon principally impacts tall buildings due to their natural wobbling frequency aligning with long-period waves.
How Buildings React
- Tall edifices in Bangkok are engineered to wobble - but not break - during wobbles.
- Modern engineering employs tricks like carbon fiber reinforcement to inhibit cracking and prevent steel reinforcements from bending, seismic sensors that provide fundamental real-time data on a building's stability during an earthquake, and dampers and energy absorption systems such as fluid viscous dampers.
- Controlled wobbling is a safety feature, not a weakness.
Bangkok's Building Codes and Earthquake Zones
- Earthquake-resistant design codes were introduced in 2007 and updated in 2021.
- Bangkok is divided into ten zones based on earthquake vulnerability.
- New high-rises must adhere to strict construction standards to withstand seismic forces.
- Older build bongs are undergoing review, although not all are mandated to be retrofitted.
Inspection Results: Mainly Safe, But Issues Persist
- After the wobble, officials inspected close to 500 buildings.
- Most structures passed with flying colors, with only a few exhibiting moderate damage.
- However, a brand-new under-construction State Audit Office (SAO) building in Bangkok's Chatuchak district entirely crumbled - raising eyebrows about the design and construction oversight.
The Risk Remains Real - But Manageable
- Bangkok may not be situated near active faults, but it's not immune to tremors from quakes elsewhere.
- Risks are elevated in:
- Areas close to faults, such as northern Thailand
- Provinces with soft soil, such as Bangkok
- Certain moderate-risk zones identified by authorities
What Developers and Residents Should Note
- A structure's height doesn't solely dictate safety - the engineering quality takes center stage.
- Well-built high-rises remain steady, even during distant quakes.
- Low-rise structures are less affected by long-period waves but should still follow proper structural guidelines.
Recommendations for Stronger Resilience
- Amplify public comprehension regarding why buildings wobble and how they're designed to withstand shocks.
- Enhance oversight on construction sites, especially for half-baked structures.
- Keep updating seismic codes as technology and knowledge advance. Encourage the installation of damping systems in critical infrastructure and tall buildings.
Don't Snooze Till the Next Wobble
- Quakes are a rarity in Bangkok, but they're still a possibility.
- The recent wobble served as a wake-up call: the city needs to stay on its toes.
- Experts advocate sustained concentration on seismic safety - not just when the ground shakes.
(Extra) Experts in the Know
What about the global effort to help Bangkok brace for the big one?
- One: Collaboration with international experts like those from Japan is underway to boost Bangkok's earthquake readiness - this includes partnering with organizations like Miyamoto International to evaluate and beef up the seismic robustness of structures and infrastructure[1].
- Two: Bangkok joined the UN's Resilient City program, which assesses a city's ability to weather various disasters, including earthquakes, and its capacity for recovery[1].
- Three: The Department of Mineral Resources in Thailand is part of these initiatives, signaling a unified effort to manage seismic risks at both the local and national levels[1].
[1] Enrichment Data: Current Seismic Risks for Bangkok
- The field of science can extend its influence to ensure the health-and-wellness and safety of the public by implementing advanced techniques in the field of environmental-science, such as developing methods to analyze the structural integrity of buildings in urban areas like Bangkok, considering the impact that their foundation's characteristics, like being built on squishy soil, have on seismic waves.
- In the pursuit of a sustainable future, it's essential that the progress achieved in the realm of fitness-and-exercise, specifically in areas such as carbon fiber reinforcement for buildings, be leveraged to improve the resilience and structural stability of not only buildings but also critical infrastructure, thus enhancing the city of Bangkok's ability to cope with the effects of seismic activities from space-and-astronomy, like earthquakes.
