A SERIES of minor earthquakes rattled the Khao Phang subdistrict in Ban Ta Khun district, Surat Thani, over March 8 and 9, according to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR).
The quakes, numbering 12 in total, ranged in magnitude from 1.7 to 3.5, with the strongest tremor striking at magnitude 3.5 at a depth of one kilometre at 5.41pm on March 8.
ANN cited the DMR attributing the seismic activity to movements along the Khlong Marui fault group, which trends northeast to southwest and exhibits a left-lateral strike-slip motion.
Residents in the affected area reported feeling the tremors, though there were no immediate reports of structural damage.
The department recorded additional quakes on March 9, including a magnitude 2.0 at 5.30am, a magnitude 1.7 at 2.13am, another magnitude 1.7 at 1.18am, and a magnitude 1.8 at 1.08am. The previous day, March 8, saw multiple events: magnitude 2.4 at 5.59pm, 3.5 at 5.41pm, 1.8 at 2.03pm, 1.9 at 1.59pm, 1.8 at 12.37pm, 2.9 at 12.29pm, 1.9 at 12.28pm, and 2.4 at 7.02am.
The Khlong Marui fault is classified as moderately active and is one of Thailand’s 16 recognised active fault systems. It stretches approximately 140 to 150 kilometres across Surat Thani, Krabi, Phang Nga, and Phuket before extending into the Andaman Sea.
“The quakes recorded were small, and no structural damage has been reported,” the DMR said, adding that monitoring of the fault would continue closely to track any further seismic activity.
While minor, the swarm underscores the ongoing geological activity in southern Thailand and highlights the need for continued vigilance in communities near active fault zones. - March 9, 2026
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