TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday it had not received any requests for assistance yet from Myanmar and Thailand after Friday’s massive earthquake.
The official death toll from the 7.7 magnitude tremor exceeded 1,000 in Myanmar Saturday. Meanwhile, dozens of workers are still assumed to be trapped under a collapsed government office building under construction in the Thai capital Bangkok.
In a statement on its website, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said its offices in Myanmar and Thailand had told the respective governments that Taiwan was prepared to send rescue teams. Personnel and equipment were standing by and ready to fly to Southeast Asia, the ministry said.
According to the National Fire Agency, 126 rescue workers had prepared six dogs and 15 tons of equipment were ready to move if requested, per CNA. Neither country had responded to Taiwan’s offer yet, but its representative offices would remain in contact to remind the governments of its willingness to help, the foreign ministry said.
In Taiwan, humanitarian organizations World Vision and the Mustard Seed Mission are working with the Family Mart and 7-Eleven convenience store chains to collect donations, per CNA. The campaigns intended to provide food, medicine, and temporary housing for those made homeless by the disaster.
The country’s main carrier, China Airlines, said it would fly aid to Myanmar and Thailand free of charge, CNA reported. Taiwan’s airlines also said they would not charge clients for canceling their travel plans to the two Southeast Asian countries.





