The Thailand authorities have announced that approximately 50 persons were still unaccounted for in the building collapsed.
In a press conference delivered in both Thai and English, Thailand Deputy Prime Minister, Anutin Charnweerakul said the authorities believe that there are now approximately 50 people unaccounted for.
“We always have hope. We work tirelessly and are still working around the clock to make sure that everybody is safe,” Anutin Charnweerakul told reporters.
He also revealed that offers for help have come in from Thailand’s neighbouring countries and overseas.
“We have enough manpower and sufficient resources, but if we are offered more help, especially technological help, of course we would gladly accept”.
Charnweerakul was also quizzed about why this particular building collapsed. He told reporters that he has given investigators seven days to report back on their findings.
Meanwhile, in a dusty tent next to the Bangkok building site, police officials have set up a registration desk for family members of those missing in the collapse.
Several solemn-faced people – mostly women – have shown up to lodge their details. Many of them are teary, clearly consumed by worry for their missing loved ones.
Occasionally, they break into sobs, overcome with emotion.
On a whiteboard propped up behind the desk, officials are keeping track of some grim numbers. As of this morning, 96 are missing, while eight are confirmed dead and eight are injured.
One of the rescue workers at the site of the collapsed unfinished high-rise told the BBC that “We have responded to several building collapses before, but this is one of the largest we’ve encountered. The number of injured and trapped victims is higher than in previous cases,” Pakkapol Metheepakdi says.
Despite continuous efforts, the unstable structure and deep layers of rubble have significantly slowed down operations.
“Last night we estimated that 98 people were missing,” he says, but adds “we still don’t know exactly how many are trapped.”
Special sound locating equipment has been used to locate the survivors who are calling for help by knocking or shouting, but reaching them remains a challenge.
Metheepakdi describes a man who had been injured while fleeing the collapse who spent the night waiting for his trapped friend.
“His eyes were filled with sorrow. He was waiting, hoping,” he says. “He was here all night but disappeared this morning. We don’t know where he went, but he was clearly waiting for his friend to be rescued.”
