Earthquake Hits Myanmar and Thailand
A devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. The tremor, one of the most powerful to hit the region in over a century, resulted in approximately 1,700 deaths, with thousands more injured and hundreds reported missing. Cities such as Mandalay and Sagaing bore the brunt of the quake, with critical infrastructure—including hospitals, bridges, and transportation networks—sustaining severe damage, thereby hindering rescue and relief operations.
Despite the earthquake’s devastation, Myanmar's military government, which seized power in a February 2021 coup, continues airstrikes in some regions, worsening the crisis. This highlights a governance model prioritizing military objectives over public welfare. Under capitalism, regardless of the governmental form—military, democratic, or authoritarian—profit takes precedence over people’s well-being. Governments protect economic systems that benefit corporations and elites, often at the expense of public safety, disaster relief, and infrastructure. As a result, crises—whether natural disasters, economic downturns, or conflicts—are managed with financial interests in mind rather than the urgent needs of those affected.
In neighboring Thailand, the earthquake’s tremors were felt, though with less severity. There the quake led to the collapse of a 33-story skyscraper in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district, which was under construction to serve as the new office for the State Audit Office (SAO), resulted in 11 deaths and 18 injuries.The winning bidder for this government project was a joint venture between the Thai construction company Italian-Thai Development (ITD) and China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd., securing the contract at a bidding price of 2,136 million baht (approximately $63 million).
This partnership has raised serious concerns, particularly regarding its shareholder structure and the role of foreign investment in national infrastructure. The largest shareholder of China Railway Number 10 (Thailand) Ltd. is China Railway Number 10 Engineering Group Company, which holds a 49% stake—the maximum allowable under Thai law for foreign ownership in a Thai company. The collapse has prompted authorities to demand a full investigation into the construction’s safety standards, the financial backing of the project, and the influence of foreign capital in critical infrastructure projects.
The incident is even more alarming considering that Italian-Thai Development was also a contractor for a previous expressway bridge that collapsed on March 15, 2025. This raises serious concerns about the company’s commitment to safety, suggesting a troubling pattern where profit motives may be overshadowing essential security considerations in major construction projects. Experts are questioning whether cost-cutting measures, weak oversight, or conflicts of interest in awarding contracts played a role in these structural failures.
Ultimately, disasters such as these are exacerbated by the capitalist system, where economic incentives drive decision-making, often at the expense of public safety. Under capitalism, natural disasters will continue to worsen in their impact due to unregulated urban expansion, inadequate infrastructure investment, and environmental destruction. Corporate greed and government inaction result in weak building standards, underfunded emergency response systems, and neglected climate mitigation efforts. Without systemic change, communities will remain vulnerable, and disaster recovery will prioritize financial interests rather than human lives.
Sources
https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-bangkok-earthquake-0a2bd512bca189d034905566605989e9
https://www.nationthailand.com/blogs/news/general/40048071