Death toll rises in Thailand after quake

For more, we're going to cross now to our regional correspondent Jan Kamenz and Brumby in the Thai capital

Hi, Jan. So what is the latest that you can tell us on the aftermath in Bangkok

Yeah, let me just take you through what we can see in Bangkok. Behind me, you've got this enormous mound of rubble

Rescue teams have been working day and night for the last two days to try and get the dozens of people being trapped inside

At the moment, there were four, there were four. odd people on the top of that and there was a crane lifted up there with some kind of a lift

police system. Now yesterday the last time we saw that we saw a dead body being taken down

this time we don't yet know exactly what's going on. There are drones in the sky here

surveying the mound of rubble, trying to find out where people are trying to find out the best

way to get to them. Next to me, there's a desk and that's where the forensics team is engaged

in discussions with the families of those people who have loved. ones inside. They've been waiting here. Also, some of them from just at the moment, essentially

after the earthquake happened, they rushed here. They've been sitting outside, waiting

hoping, praying that their loved ones will come back. The forensics team here to help them

identify the dead bodies if it turns out that their loved ones haven't made it. We're edging

closer for that 72 hour cutoff point, after which it's less and less and less likely that the people

inside will have made it. So a race against time here. And meanwhile, in Myanmar, Yan, we're starting to hear a bit more from people inside the country as internet connectivity is starting to return at least to some areas

So what have you been hearing from there? That's right. The connections really were down pretty much as soon as the earthquake happened

And I've been able to now get in touch with some of the people that are in Myanmar

I spoke to a young student a 20 in the city of Mandalay one of the hardest hit cities She was telling me that at the time of the earthquake she was terrified She ran out of the restaurant that she was in Luckily she made it and she safe

but she said that she's hearing from the people there that in the nearby towns

there is the stench of death. The rotting bodies of the people in the buildings

has created this smell that has enveloped the entire city. She said that she's worried there isn't enough healthcare

There aren't enough healthcare personnel to deal with the number of people injured. there aren't enough ambulances

She was saying, I was speaking to a doctor in Yangon. That's another big city in Myanmar

She was also saying that she just doesn't think the healthcare infrastructure is up to the job in Myanmar

And it's not just that. It's not just the earthquake. And Myanmar, let's not forget, has been engaged in an ongoing civil war since 2021

That's when the military junta took over. And that civil war has also complicated the relief efforts

I imagine being a rescue team, the area trying to go into is not only damaged by an earthquake

It's not only got infrastructure that is damaged because of this roads that are covered in rubble

but also it's engaged in a struggle for the control of the country

And we know that the military junta continued to strike areas, even hours after the earthquake took place

Now, one of the main opposition groups, the PDF, they have said that they are unilaterally declaring a truce, a peace for a period of time

But it's a unilateral decision. There are other militia groups inside that will be continuing to fight

And it seems like the military junta also gives. given that they've been doing these airstrikes, will also be continued to fight

That all on top of the earthquake that the UN has said, it is essentially, the WFP, I apologize, has said

is making it incredibly difficult for them to operate inside the UN

saying that there's now a shortage of medicine inside. The people in there I've been speaking to

telling me that they're really hoping that international aid can come and help them out

and fill the gap that's been left inside. Sounds like an unimaginably dire situation indeed

Yan Kamenzhen, Broomby in Bangkok. Thank you very much for that update