Far East: How Myanmar’s 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Reveals Political Dysfunction and Government Incompetence in Southeast Asia and Beyond
the collapsed Maha Myat Muni Buddhist pagoda in mandeley, myanmar. via epa.
On March 28th, 2025, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck central Myanmar. The epicenter was near the city of Mendeley, along the Sagaing Fault line. The earthquake was so strong that tremors could be felt as far east as Bangladesh and as far west as Bangkok. In the aftermath of the disaster, the scale of destruction quickly became apparent as reports of numerous casualties emerged and global attention turned to the affected region.
While international attention is largely focused on the damage and destruction caused by the earthquake, the disaster has also exposed a deeper, long-standing issue: Southeast Asia’s ongoing struggle for a functional political system and competent governance.
As the up-and-coming international humanitarian aid efforts were offered, Myanmar, still amid the civil war and tightly gripped by the military junta, prohibited journalists and international organizations alike from entering the country and providing the necessary aid. Meanwhile, citizens of affected countries like Thailand, where a government building collapsed and trapped workers inside, are asking the fundamental question: in this trying time, can they depend on their government after all?
"I’m so worried about them.”
a destroyed monastery in mandeley, myanmar. via ap.
On March 28th, Gus, a LGBTQIA+ activist wanted by the military junta, was in hiding in the region of Sagaing. In an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, he mentioned that he has yet to learn about the fate of his two friends who resided in the city of Mendeley since the internet connection in Myanmar has been under strict control by the government since their forceful take of power back in 2021. For Gus, it was over 24 hours after the quake when he learned that the impact wasn’t limited to his local area—it had extended as far as Bangkok, nearly a thousand kilometers away. With many victims of casualties trapped inside the collapsed buildings, cities such as Mendeley have turned into concrete graveyards, complicating the already strained emergency services personnel. "I’m so worried about them”, Gus added, "it's so difficult to connect our friends, our families and our comrades to make sure that they are okay.”
Myanmar has been in the military junta’s grip since 2021, when it overtook power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Ever since then, many resistance groups have emerged and taken control of many strategic locations. To combat this, the military has deployed many tactics, and tight control of the internet is one of them. For Gus, he has to spend 1,000 Burmese kyat or $0.48 for two hours of internet connection and for people like him, who have no means of earning an income, choosing to connect with friends and families or to buy basic necessities is a heart-wrenching, daily dilemma he has to undergo.
the mandeley people’s defense force, one of the resistance group in the myanmar civil war. the mandeley people’s defense force via ap.
Moreover, with freedom of the press almost non-existent in the country, it is hard to picture the true scale of destruction and severity of the situation in Myanmar. As the number of casualties exceeds 3,600 confirmed cases, the foreign ministers of Thailand and Malaysia have said that Myanmar is desperate for aid. "What Myanmar needs is field hospitals, their existing hospitals can't operate to their full capacity due to damage from the quake,” commented the Thai foreign minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, during his meeting with his Malaysian and Myanmar counterparts in Naypyidaw. That desperate need for aid, however, seems hypocritical with reports circulated from two Australia-based doctors who have accused the military junta of confiscating the foreign aid supplies. “Some of the supplies of aid, well most of it, was not given to the people who need it. In some areas in Mandalay the aid did not arrive. The aid was confiscated by the military junta,” said Dr. Nang Win, an Australia-based doctor who has been coordinating foreign aid into the city of Mendeley. This highlights Myanmar’s ongoing political struggle, with the foreign aid being blocked, the people of Myanmar will continue to suffer with the aftermath of this gruelling disaster, with their basic human rights tampered with by their own government.
“I feel like I cannot put any trust in my government.”
the collapsed state audit office building in chatuchak district of bangkok, thailand. via Reuters.
On March 28th, Pupi, a Chiang Mai resident, was in Bangkok for work. She was eating lunch when the overhead light started to move violently, her lunch table started to shake, and the building swayed as the tremors from the earthquake arrived in Bangkok. No alarms of any kind rang, and no proper evacuation instructions were issued as people fled the buildings and out of the city, paralyzing the entire public transport systems and roads alike. Recalling the frightening experience, she remarked, “I feel like I cannot put any trust in my government, I don’t think they can keep me safe.” She added, “There is no preliminary planning, there will always have to be a disaster first in order for our government to do something, this is peak government incompetence.” Many Thai people felt the same after this earthquake struck, with many experiencing terrifying experiences on the day, with minimal help from the government in the aftermath. The damage can be seen from many high-rise buildings in Bangkok, where many cracks or total destruction of apartments were reported and in many cases, the government has not provided any help or relief to the affected residents.
The distrust deepened further when the only building to collapse from the earthquake’s tremors was the State Audit Office, which had been under construction since 2021. Ultimately, an investigation report from Thailand’s Civil Engineer Council stated that the metal used in construction may not be adequate for use in skyscrapers, such as the one in the State Audit Office. Since then, the Thai parliament has officially opened an investigation committee into a potential corruption case, creating a widespread corruption scandal and fueling anger amongst Thai citizens.
the thai prime minister, PaeThongthan Shinawatra, in the cabinet meeting on march 31st regarding early earthquake alert system. the office of the prime minister via thai pbs.
While the relief efforts continue, the ongoing issues of political dysfunction persist. As the government continues to struggle to properly tackle each crisis, it has become the citizens’ responsibility to take care of one another, reinforcing the insecurity felt by many countries across the region. “Our government is not decisive enough, does not have a sense of urgency, how can we then actually have a sense of security?” Pupi added.