A magnitude-6.3 earthquake struck in Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand, Monday evening, killing an elderly woman and causing damage to roads and buildings. The quake struck at 6.08pm local time 27km from the provincial capital Chiang Rai. It was also felt in Bangkok and Burma’s capital Yangon. Latest reports indicate 23 people were injured.
3.47pm: The Bangkok Post reports that Chiang Rai’s famous White Temple (Wat Rong Kun) was seriously damaged in Monday’s earthquake. The temple, just a few kilometers south of Chiang Rai city, is a major tourist attraction. Local artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, who has worked on the temple for almost 20 years, said:
The engineer who built the temple and I checked the damage last night and we thought it wasn’t too bad. But come morning we were shocked by the extent of the destruction.
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If the structure is intact, it will take me two years to repaint it. If it isn’t, the temple might be closed for good. We’re desperate. Our works over the past 20 years disappeared in one day.