Woman gave birth on Bangkok street amid earthquake

A woman gave birth a baby girl on a Bangkok street after a powerful earthquake forced her evacuation from the operation theater.

Kanthong Saenmuangshin, 36, had gone to hospital for a routine check-up but went into labour after the ground started shaking.

Kanthong's waters broke while she was being escorted by medical staff of the Police General Hospital down five flights of stairs, and she was worried she would give birth on the stairway.

"I was telling my baby, don't come out yet," Kanthong said on Saturday.

"Then I was put on a hospital bed and was surrounded by a lot of medical staffs where I just gave birth right then and there. It was all a shock to me too," she said.

Bangkok Police General Hospital authorities confirmed that both the mother and newborn are in good health, reports BBC.

Hospital spokesperson, Police Officer Sirikul Srisanga, stated that the medical team had to move the woman out of the operation theater when the earthquake struck on Friday (March 28). Healthcare workers then delivered a baby boy outside the hospital under emergency conditions.

A viral video on social media shows medical teams attending to the mother and baby on a stretcher, while other patients were also seen receiving treatment outdoors. Despite the challenging situation, doctors continued to provide medical care.

Local police officer Jiramrit explained that during an earthquake, patients are stabilized and moved to safety. Given the urgency of the woman’s condition, doctors completed the surgery in just 10 minutes outside the operation theater while maintaining as much confidentiality as possible. The swift response has drawn praise for Thailand’s healthcare system.

The earthquake, which struck on March 28, impacted eight Southeast Asian countries, including Myanmar and Thailand, causing extensive damage. In Bangkok, an under-construction building near Chatuchak Market collapsed, killing six people, injuring 26, and leaving 47 others missing.