Somnit Duangnet, in his early 50s, admitted to making up the claim after being detained by police on Monday, according to the South China Morning Post.

Authorities said Somnit’s actions caused public panic and that he would face legal consequences to deter similar incidents. He is believed to have received at least 10,000 baht (US$293) in donations, according to Thai Examiner.

Somnit was seen at the site of the collapsed State Audit Office building, wearing a reflective vest from his former employer, TIS Guard Group, and holding a woman’s staff ID card. He told reporters that his wife, who was four months pregnant, was trapped inside, as reported by The Nation.

He claimed his wife had called him as the building began to shake, after which he lost contact with her.

The story began to unravel when a Facebook page named Big Kren revealed that Somnit’s daughter, who had not seen him in eight years, identified him in the news. She reportedly said her mother divorced him due to repeated trouble he had caused the family.

Kornwipa Sonbuppa, 25, also filed a police complaint, stating that Somnit had used her old employee ID to support his false claim. She said her mother was left in shock after local authorities mistakenly informed her that Kornwipa had died.

Kornwipa, who now works for a golf apparel company, said she left her previous job in 2019 and had returned the staff card at the time. She discovered it had been misused only after a friend alerted her.

TIS Guard Group confirmed on Monday that Somnit left the company last year.

Under Thai law, spreading false information during disasters for sympathy or donations is a criminal offense punishable by up to one month in jail, a fine of 10,000 baht (US$293), or both, according to Thai PBS.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on March 28, causing severe tremors throughout the region, including Thailand.

The devastating Myanmar earthquake on March 28 was the strongest the country had seen in a century, causing widespread damage, resulting in at least 2,700 fatalities across Myanmar and impacting neighboring Southeast Asian nations.

There were 21 people killed and 34 injured in Bangkok, primarily at a skyscraper construction site.