Experts Explain Why Bangkok Residents Felt Tremors from Myanmar's 5.3 Magnitude Earthquake
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake off Myanmar's coast near Yangon on May 18 triggered tremors felt in Bangkok, with experts attributing the sensation to the city's soft soil amplifying seismic waves from the active Sagaing Fault 530 kilometers awa
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake off Myanmar's southern coast near Yangon on May 18, 2025, was felt in Bangkok. Dr. Amorn Pimanmas, chairman of the Thai Structural Engineers Association and lecturer at Kasetsart University's Faculty of Engineering, explained the earthquake's characteristics: it was moderate magnitude (5.3, below 6), shallow depth (about 10 km, less than 60 km underground), long-distance from Bangkok (approximately 530 kilometers), and occurred along the Sagaing Fault, a powerful active fault line.
Dr. Amorn noted that tall buildings in Bangkok normally sway during earthquakes because the city sits on soft soil that amplifies seismic waves. While residents in high-rises felt the tremors, the moderate magnitude and considerable distance meant no structural damage to buildings was expected.
However, ongoing monitoring is necessary because the Sagaing Fault extends 1,200-1,400 kilometers. Officials noted that in March 2024, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Mandalay over 1,000 kilometers away but caused severe shaking in Bangkok, damaging hundreds of buildings and even causing a government audit office under construction to collapse. Since today's earthquake occurred in the lower section of the Sagaing Fault—closer than Mandalay's epicenter—relevant agencies and the public should remain prepared, as earthquakes cannot be predicted in advance.
