A DESTRUCTIVE 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, 2025, causing major damage to buildings.
Massive tremors even caused a skyscraper to come crashing to the ground. Here’s everything you need to know about whether it’s safe to travel to Thailand.
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The quake had a depth of 10km, with the epicentre near the city of Mandalay, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ).
Thailand‘s Department of Disaster Prevention said the earthquake had impacted almost every region of the country.
A 6.4 magnitude aftershock was also felt 12 minutes later near the city, the US Geological Survey reported, with aftershocks also reaching as far as India and China.
Much of Myanmar was left covered in a thick layer of smoke from the collapsed buildings.
As the tremors first hit, locals 800 miles away in Bangkok ran out of buildings and onto the streets in panic.
Just two months previously, more than 125 people died after a devastating earthquake tore through one of Tibet’s holiest cities.
Is it safe to travel to Thailand?
As of March 28, 2025, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to parts of south Thailand, near the Thailand-Malaysia border.
- Pattani Province
- Yala Province
- Narathiwat Province
- southern Songkhla Province – south of the A43 road between Hat Yai and Sakom, and south of the train line which runs between Hat Yai and Padang Besar
FCDO also advises against all but essential travel on the Hat Yai to Padang Besar train line that runs through these provinces.
This is due to regular attacks in the provinces by the border with Malaysia.
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
As of 8.27am, there has been no update regarding the earthquake.
More to follow …
