What the record shows for Thailand
Over the last 20 years, USGS has catalogued 12 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or greater within 389 km of Thailand - about one every 2 years. That rate describes how often the ground moves enough to be recorded, not how often damage occurs; most of these are never felt.
No tsunamis are recorded within 389 km of Thailand in the NOAA NCEI database. A quiet record is not the same as no exposure - a large enough offshore earthquake can reach coastlines that have never been hit in the historical period.
Sources: USGS earthquake catalog, NOAA tsunami database, and the Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program. Figures update as the catalogs are revised.
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Northern Thailand lies near active faults and feels both local quakes and large events from neighbouring Myanmar.
The only real protection is a warning the moment the ground moves - which is exactly what the free QuakeMate app gives you, along with tsunami and volcano alerts for Thailand.
Earthquake risk in Thailand - FAQ
Is Thailand at risk of earthquakes?
Yes. On average about 1 quake every 2 years nearby of magnitude 4+ within 389 km, based on the last 20 years of USGS data.
What was the biggest earthquake in Thailand?
We don't have a standout large earthquake on record close to Thailand in the modern catalog, though smaller quakes can still occur.
Does Thailand get tsunamis?
No tsunamis are recorded within 389 km of Thailand in the NOAA database - though coastlines everywhere carry some residual risk after a very large offshore quake.
How do I get earthquake warnings in Thailand?
Download the free QuakeMate app for iPhone. It watches your location and sends a real-time push the instant a quake strikes nearby, plus tsunami and volcano alerts, with custom magnitude and distance rules. On Android, join the waitlist.