BANGKOK, Thailand – Social media is abuzz with images reportedly from U.S. military search equipment, showing X-ray scans of the collapsed State Audit Office (SAO) building in Chatuchak, Bangkok. The scans allegedly reveal numerous trapped bodies, mainly in the field office area of the construction site.
On April 1, the Facebook page Fire & Rescue Thailand shared the images, stating: “X-ray scans from U.S. military search equipment reveal trapped bodies under layers of concrete at the SAO building collapse site. However, they have yet to be recovered. This is satellite data, and its interpretation is up to the public.”
Meanwhile, Bin Bunluerit, a special activities manager at the Ruamkatanyu Foundation and a key figure in the ongoing rescue efforts, provided updates on the operation. He reported that search teams had detected over 70 trapped bodies between the 17th and 21st floors—almost all of those still missing.
The rescue teams face major challenges due to the building’s structure, as each floor has walls over a meter thick. Additionally, the lack of full architectural plans initially slowed efforts, forcing responders to proceed with extreme caution.
Currently, debris is being carefully removed floor by floor from the top down to facilitate rescue operations while ensuring the safety of personnel working at high altitudes. Coordination with international rescue teams has been smooth, as Thai teams have prior experience in international disaster response.
As of now, 14 bodies have been recovered, pending official identification by forensic authorities.
