After quake Thailand s capital grinds to a halt amid fear and chaos

BANGKOK - Bangkok ground to a halt on March 28 after a strong earthquake shook the clogged Thai capital, causing chaos and triggering city-wide evacuations that left many thousands of people stranded for much of the day.

All urban rail systems were suspended and roads were gridlocked across one of Asias biggest cities after the quake in neighbouring Myanmar caused tremors up to a magnitude of 7.1 in Bangkok, about 1,020km from the epicentre.

The quake killed nine people in Bangkok, including eight labourers who died after the collapse of a 33-storey building that was under construction. Rescuers with dogs searched for signs of life, with more than 100 missing at the site, the authorities said.

Foreign tourists, some shirtless, in bathrobes or swim shorts, had to leave their hotels and mingled with throngs of office workers evacuated from high-rise towers in Bangkoks commercial districts, many in shock at a rare quake that caused some skyscrapers to sway for minutes.

Huge crowds gathered outside plush hotels, offices and malls, and were shepherded away from tall buildings by security personnel. Many were directed towards the sprawling Lumpini Park after warnings of aftershocks, 11 of which struck the city within 3½ hours of the quake.

I ran from the seventh floor of a mall, it was chaos. The scene was like the end of the world. People screamed and ran to find somewhere to shelter, said schoolteacher Yupadee Anujan, 34, who took refuge in the park.

There were siren sounds ringing constantly... this made me more frightened, so I tried to walk to the park as quickly as I could.