BANGKOK – For most of the day, somberness clouded over a makeshift shelter set up for grief-stricken relatives of dozens of workers who remain missing at the building collapse in Bangkok. They huddled together, a short distance from the rubble, awaiting news for their loved ones to be found.
But for a few minutes, their faces broke out in smiles, as a group of fluffy, playful golden retrievers approached the waiting relatives on a break from the dogs' rescue mission.
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Bangkok is more than 800 miles (1,287 kilometers) from the epicenter of the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on Friday. Fifteen of the 22 deaths reported in Bangkok were people found at the site of the collapsed high-rise, according to the Bangkok city authorities. Around 70 workers remain missing.
Pornchai Chaodongbang has been waiting for her missing brother at the site since Sunday. She said she was crying every day since the news broke, and when she saw the site of the ruins, she collapsed.
On Tuesday evening, she and dozens of others were visited by Sahara, Safari and Lek, search dogs from K9 USAR Thailand, a non-profit that works closely with the Thai government in disaster and humanitarian relief efforts.
Pornchai’s face lit up as she played with them. She said her spirit was lifted a little. “I saw in the news that they were helping the crew up there. I felt a little happier,” she said.
It's the dogs' main job to climb the rubble, sniffing for any sign of humans trapped underneath. But Alongkot Chukaew, deputy director of the group, said they are also offering emotional support on the side, as his experience working with the dogs in many of their missions showed that they can give moments of comfort to disaster victims.
He saw that happened with Sahara during the rescue mission after the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
“At times when people were feeling down, she walked over to relatives of the victims who were sitting among the rubble. I saw the children come to her, play with her. Amid those great losses, it’s a small moment of happiness that can lift their spirits. From that day on, it’s what we have been trying to do during our breaks,” he said.
They chose the dogs that are gentle to visit the relatives, he said. “I believe their gentleness is what gives a spirit to the relatives. It’s also like making a promise that they will be here with them until all the victims are found.”
Samran Khotchomphun said she has been waiting for her missing grandson and granddaughter since the first day of the collapse. She said she cried through the first three days because she couldn’t cope with the situation.
Samran said the dogs offered her a brief comfort and hope on day five of the search and rescue operations.
“I told the dogs, please help find them. My hope is hanging on you,” she said.