[CNA] Thai Engineering Prof on Construction Safety in Bangkok after Skyscraper Collapse

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natt Leelawat, from industrial engineering at Chulalongkorn University, spoke to CNA News about Thailand’s building code and earthquake readiness.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Natt Leelawat emphasized that the recent skyscraper collapse in Bangkok has heightened public awareness of earthquake-resistant buildings. Bangkok’s high-rise lifestyle poses unique evacuation challenges, as existing safety points were designed for fires, not large-scale earthquakes, leading to traffic paralysis. Delayed SMS warnings further complicated the response, prompting the government to improve its alert system. While buildings constructed after 2007 follow earthquake-resistant standards, ongoing inspections categorize structures into safe (green), questionable (yellow), or unsafe (red). Authorities are also investigating reports of substandard steel in the collapsed building. The professor stressed that structural integrity should be prioritized over aesthetics in construction, as future earthquakes are inevitable.  

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