Yangon/Bangkok - Despite the powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar on March 28th, Singaporean companies operating in Myanmar and Thailand appear to have been largely unaffected. However, some short-term operational disruptions are anticipated at certain sites due to infrastructure damage.
The earthquake, with its epicenter near Mandalay, Myanmar, was one of the strongest to hit Southeast Asia in the past century. The tremors were felt as far as neighboring Thailand, where a high-rise building under construction in Bangkok reportedly collapsed.
United Overseas Bank (UOB), a major Singaporean bank with Thailand as a key market, swiftly confirmed the safety of all its UOB Thailand employees following the earthquake. No casualties have been reported to date, and UOB will implement support programs for any affected staff.
UOB assured that its key facilities, including the UOB Plaza in Bangkok, and other major buildings sustained no structural damage. Branches located within leased office spaces and shopping malls were also deemed safe following safety inspections conducted by the building owners. Most branches and the call center had already resumed normal operations by last Saturday, and the remaining two branches that were temporarily closed for further checks are scheduled to reopen by March 31st.
The bank further stated that critical operations such as wholesale payments, cheque processing, foreign exchange transactions, and regulatory reporting were completed without disruption. Both the primary and secondary data centers are operating normally.
Richard Maloney, CEO of UOB Thailand, commented, "This earthquake served as an important test of our disaster preparedness, and our team responded calmly and systematically. We will further strengthen our disaster response capabilities and readiness based on the lessons learned from this event."
Meanwhile, law firm Rajah and Tann, which has offices in Bangkok and Yangon, also confirmed that all its employees were safely evacuated on Friday.
The earthquake caused physical damage in some areas of Myanmar and Thailand, including road cracks and building damage. This has impacted infrastructure such as power and telecommunications, inevitably leading to short-term operational challenges for some businesses. However, Singaporean companies have minimized the impact through rapid safety checks and responses and are working towards a swift return to normal operations.
The earthquake in Myanmar occurred at approximately 12:50 PM local time on March 28, 2025. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it was a magnitude 7.7 earthquake with an epicenter located about 245 kilometers northwest of Mandalay and a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, which amplified the ground shaking. A significant aftershock with a magnitude of 6.4 occurred later on March 28th. Both Myanmar and Thailand have declared affected areas as disaster zones, and international aid organizations are mobilizing to assess the damage and provide emergency relief supplies.
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