Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra today dismissed rumors that Bangkok was hit by an earthquake or tremors this morning, stating that the quake in Myanmar did not send any tremors to Thailand.
She made the remarks following widespread reports that the quake had affected Bangkok, leading to evacuations at several locations, including courthouses and government office buildings.
The Meteorological Department reported that there has been no earthquake in Thailand and the aftershocks from Myanmar have no impact on Thailand.
The cracks that have led to the evacuation are now being reported as pre-existing cracks.
"Therefore, we would like to reaffirm the original directive from Bangkok Governor: building owners must urgently inspect the building to clearly determine whether the cracks are old, existing, or new. This will support proper decision-making."
"The public should stay calm and rely on reports from government authorities, not online sources," she said.
Paetongtarn today visited the collapse site in Chatuchak and spoke with the relatives and families of those still unaccounted for.
She also met with foreign rescue teams that had flown in to assist with the rescue operations.
Meanwhile Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt has urged the public to stay calm and exercise discretion following reports of evacuations at multiple locations due to misunderstandings this morning.
Today marks the first official workday since tremors from a strong earthquake in Myanmar affected Bangkok and several other provinces last Friday.
Many people are still complaining of dizziness, a symptom doctors refer to as "earthquake syndrome."
Evacuations occurred at several locations this morning, mostly at government offices, after officials reported feeling buildings shake and noticing cracks in structures.
As a precautionary measure, officials were evacuated from their offices, pending inspection. However, the evacuations were soon called off.
The evacuations took place at the Government Complex, Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters, Criminal Court headquarters, Chulalongkorn Hospital, Revenue Department buildings, Social Security Office, Stock Exchange of Thailand, and Government Housing Bank.
The Revenue Department has allowed its officials to work from home this week.
The Meteorological Department issued a statement confirming that there was no earthquake in Thailand this morning. A small quake occurred in Myanmar, but no tremors were felt in Thailand.
The governor advised that people can call the hotline at 1555 for more information on the matter.
