BANGKOK'S STUPA OF CRACKED CEMENT AND TWISTED STEEL

A massive rounded mound of pulverized concrete and broken steel in which 77 doomed workers are said to be entombed is a solemn memorial to the transience of life and hope in the face of heartbreak.

The collapsed 32-story State Audit Building at Chatuchak is a 5-story pile of debris

The scene of the tragedy is bathed in light to permit a night-shift of workers to comb through the immense mound of rubble for signs of life and human remains.

The hot season is peaking and temperatures remain high even at night. The ruins are hosed down as a precaution against combustion and dust.

The wail of sirens, police whistles, the red lights of rescue vehicles and the clanking of heavy equipment added to the surreal atmosphere as mist rose over the ruins.

The site of the tragedy is marked on Google maps, although the photo pre-dates the earthquake and shows the tower under construction.

Work goes on around the clock and the disaster site remains busy. Temporary traffic restrictions are in place, even at night. With hundreds of rescue staff, security personnel, volunteers and the occasional politician, there is a subdued but not entirely morose market-like atmosphere. Life goes on. Humbled in the face of tragedy, people appreciate what they have. Everyone, but most especially those hard at work digging through the dangerous debris, need to eat, drink and find a place to take a break.

It is at once uplifting and troubling to see signs of normal everyday life at a place where time has stopped still and humans remain trapped in rubble. The contrast and contradictions inherent in the klieg light-illuminated scene evokes a cinematic quality that brings to mind the Billy Wilder movie “Ace in the Hole” (1951) in which a desperate Kirk Douglas capitalizes on the unknown fate of a hapless explorer trapped in a cave by inviting the press, selling food and souvenirs and charging admission.

It should be stressed that the tragedy is being taken very seriously in Thailand and it remains the top national news story. And to be fair, despite the proximity to Bangkok’s biggest tourist market, there’s nothing carnival-like about the atmosphere at Chatuchak. The roped-off area is appropriately somber and the ruins are guarded in a hushed way that is almost sacrosanct.

That it makes for striking visuals for tourists and townspeople passing by is not to impugn the very sincere efforts of volunteers and professionals intent on saving lives, if possible, and keeping a respectful vigil even after hopes for a miracle begin to wear thin.

The street vendors, ubiquitous in Bangkok, and a large part of the city’s innate charm, are accustomed to workign very hard under trying conditions, whether it be pushcart vending, roadside stalls or cooking up good food without easy access to water and power. The vendors here are contributing in their own way, doing what they do well to be of help to others.

(photos by the author)

For more information on the Thai response to this event, especially in the eye of the local media where the passion for truth and justice is burning strong, I have updated the posting below to include a summary of findings, reports and related developments up through April 6.