MALAYSIANS SHARE FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCES AS MYANMAR QUAKE TREMORS STRIKE BANGKOK

By Kenny Teng

BANGKOK, April 2 (Bernama) -- Malaysian residents in the Thai capital, especially those in high-rise buildings, were jolted by a powerful earthquake in Myanmar last Friday, leaving many in shock and seeking safety.

The powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar’s Sagaing Region at around 1 pm local time, followed by a second earthquake measuring 6.4 in magnitude, triggering tremors in Thailand.

Malaysian Dr Hwee Khim Boo, 63, said this was the first time she had encountered tremors after living in Bangkok for more than 30 years.

Hwee said when the tremors hit Bangkok last Friday, she was at work in her office in Sam Phran District and did not immediately realise what was happening.

"I was in my office on the second floor when, all of a sudden, the table and the blinds started shaking. My first thought was, 'Am I having an episode of vertigo?'

"Then I looked out through my glass door, and all of my employees had stood up. One of my staff members then asked me to evacuate as the building was shaking," she told Bernama when contacted recently.

Hwee, who is also the chairman of the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (MTCC), said the tremors lasted for over a minute and all employees, including production workers, gathered at the meeting point before conducting a headcount.

"Afterwards, I felt dizzy and had a headache until the next morning. I had to take paracetamol to relieve it," she recounted.

Chairman of Malaysians and Indians in Bangkok (MIB) Dr Silva Kumar, who resides at Shiva Tower in the Sukhumvit district, said last Friday’s tremor was the worst he had experienced compared to the one that struck Bangkok three years ago.

"In my 28 years in Bangkok, this was the worst. Three years ago, we felt a mild tremor, but it was nothing significant. This time, the building we live in, which has a heavy and strongly built structure, swayed from left to right for about a minute.

“It was scary, unimaginable, and we were unprepared. In fact, all the residents in my building felt the same," he said.

Another Malaysian, Ten Voon Teng, 72, who has lived in Thailand for 46 years, said it was the most terrifying day for him in Bangkok.

Ten said he realised that it was an earthquake when he saw wires swinging violently and began to feel dizzy.

"I have experienced earthquake tremors before, but last week was the worst because the entire city of Bangkok felt the tremors. We are grateful that no damage occurred to our double-storey house in Min Buri district. After inspecting our home, we decided to continue staying there," he said.

As of Tuesday, the earthquake caused tremors in Thailand’s capital and has so far claimed 20 lives and injured 32 people.

Dozens remain missing at a construction site in the Chatuchak District near Bang Sue Grand Station, which collapsed.

-- BERNAMA