‘It was not me, it was the earth’: Tourists describe chaos after Myanmar earthquake shook Bangkok – The Times of India

When a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, its tremors sent shockwaves through Bangkok, leaving tourists in a panic and killing 10 people in Thailand’s capital.
French tourist Augustin Gus, 23, was shopping for a t-shirt when the building started to shake violently.
“Just when I left the elevator, the earth started moving. I thought it was me… it was not me,” he told AFP. “Everyone was screaming and running, so I started screaming as well.”
While Myanmar reels from over 1,000 deaths and large-scale destruction, Bangkok experienced chaos as skyscrapers swayed, public transit shut down, and rooftop pools spilled over.
Tourists caught in the quake described confusion and fear. Cristina Mangion, 31, from Malta, was in her hotel bed when the shaking began.
“I thought I was feeling dizzy from the heat,” she said. Hotel staff rushed door-to-door checking on guests.
A business traveler from the Solomon Islands, who requested anonymity, said the evacuation from the 21st floor of a skyscraper was chaotic.
“There were no procedures in place. Everyone was confused—I just wanted to get out.”
Despite the terror, some tourists are soldiering on. Mangion, visiting the sprawling Chatuchak market near the collapsed skyscraper, said she refuses to let the disaster disrupt her plans.
“I feel bad for what happened, but the best thing is to support local businesses,” she said.
Gus echoed her sentiment: “I’ll still have great memories. It’s just an experience—that’s why I’m travelling.”
For others, the quake was just another reminder of life’s unpredictability. Frenchman Gilles Franke, 59, a frequent visitor hoping to retire in Thailand, remained unfazed.
“When it’s your time, it’s your time,” he said. “You can die crossing the road—you can die anytime.”