The Swedish Embassy in Bangkok was on Wednesday evacuated as a precaution after an earthquake, estimated at 5.7-magnitude, occurred at the Burma-Laos border, 57 km away from Chiang Rai at 3.57 p.m. Thailand time (0757 GMT). In Bangkok the tremor was especially felt in higher buildings and many were evacuated in fear of after-shocks.
The north of Thailand is known to attract many Scandinavian backpackers but late Wednesday there had been no reports of anyone injured due to the earthquake.
The staff of around 40 at the Swedish Embassy was a bout to call it a day, when they were requested to leave the building, so the disruption of their work was minimal.
”It was a strange feeling”, says Swedish Ambassador, Jonas Hafström, ”but there were no injuries and no material damage either.”
The embassy occupies the 20th floor of the Pacific One building on Suhumvit Road in central Bangkok.
In Laos, the Swedish Embassy had no reports of any Scandinavian injured in the incident.
