Earthquake in Thailand triggers surge in calls and mobile data usage

The earthquake that struck Thailand last Friday led to a sharp increase in voice calls and mobile data usage, according to data from two mobile operators.

Many people in Bangkok and other provinces felt tremors from the 8.2-magnitude earthquake, centred in Mandalay, at 1.25pm on March 28. Most buildings in the capital remained safe, except for the State Audit Office under construction in Chatuchak district.

Voice calls spiked in the immediate aftermath as people prioritised inquiries and safety confirmations, particularly between 1.30pm and 1.45pm. True customers made 8.89 million calls on March 28, a 465% increase from 1.57 million calls at the same time on March 27. Calls surged by 672% at 1.33pm. Meanwhile, dtac customers made 17.23 million calls, up 545% from 2.67 million, with a peak surge of 1,061% at 1.32pm.

Calls within the same network rose by 65%, while cross-network calls increased by 121%. Bangkok saw the highest surge, with True customers’ calls up by 1,171% and dtac customers’ by 1,983%. The West and South also experienced significant increases.

Mobile data usage also surged. Though it briefly declined during evacuations (1.15-1.30pm), usage spiked from 2.00pm to 7.00pm. True customers used approximately 917 terabytes of data (up 9%), while dtac customers used 653 terabytes (up 13%).

Social media and communication apps saw significant increases, while video streaming apps experienced minor changes. Among True customers, X usage rose by 199%, LINE by 74%, and Messenger by 41%. Among dtac customers, X increased by 162%, LINE by 90%, and Messenger by 77%.

This trend highlights that in emergencies, people prioritise instant communication, real-time updates, and reliable information over entertainment.

(2025/04/02-00:00)