BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Bangkok Governor Tavida Kamolvej has confirmed that aid registration for victims of the State Audit Office building collapse will be extended until May 2, while operations at the disaster site continue to progress. As of April 25, authorities have confirmed 62 fatalities, 9 injuries, and 32 individuals still missing among the 103 initially reported affected. Two additional bodies were recovered near a suspected fire escape area identified by international search teams.
Clearance operations have steadily advanced, with the average debris height reduced from 26.8 meters to approximately 3.5 meters. Authorities expect to locate more missing persons within the next few days and plan to complete debris removal from the basement levels within one week. Efforts involve continuous heavy machinery operations, consuming over 6,600 liters of diesel per day, despite the extreme heat, which has resulted in minor injuries among rescue workers.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has reiterated that all costs for the search and recovery operation are being covered by the city. Future legal claims to recover these expenses from liable parties will be pursued once operations conclude. On the administrative side, 44 death certificates have been issued, and forensic teams continue the process of identifying remaining victims to ensure proper handling and return to families.
The BMA also warned of high heat indexes, ranging from 42 to 51.9 degrees Celsius, categorizing the current conditions as dangerous. To support field workers, private donors and government agencies have provided cold water supplies and ice machines to alleviate heat-related risks during the recovery efforts. (NNT)
