8-11-2023 (BANGKOK) In another unsettling incident this week, two individuals were hospitalized when a section of road covering the entrance to Soi Sukhumvit 64/1 in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong district collapsed under the weight of a 10-wheeler on Wednesday morning. This marks the second such incident in the city within days.
The concrete sheets, spanning three traffic lanes, were originally placed to cover a portion of the road that had been excavated for an underground power line installation project.
The driver of the 10-wheeler, which was transporting soil from a construction site, found his vehicle stuck in the hole created by the collapse. He informed the police that he had not exceeded the weight limit, raising questions about the road’s structural integrity.
The two individuals who sustained injuries were motorcyclists who crashed as a result of the road caving in. The authorities advised motorists to avoid the area as efforts were underway to extricate the trapped truck. As a consequence of the incident, traffic congestion extended for several kilometers.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt arrived at the scene around 1 pm and promptly ordered a suspension of the underground power line project until the cause of the road collapse was determined and necessary repairs were carried out.
This marks the second time within the week that sinkholes have caused accidents on Bangkok’s roadways. Just a few days ago, on Monday night, a Toyota Fortuner partially fell into a sinkhole on Chaturathit Road near the Si Ayutthaya intersection in Ratchathewi district. Fortunately, only the front part of the vehicle was affected, and it was safely retrieved by a crane. No injuries were reported in that incident.
According to police, the sinkhole in that case measured 1.5 meters in width, 6 meters in length, and 8 meters in depth. It was concealed by a concrete sheet, which gave way under the weight of the vehicle. This particular sinkhole was associated with the city’s project to construct underground cesspits leading to the Makkasan Swamp. The back-to-back sinkhole accidents have raised concerns about the safety and stability of Bangkok’s roads and infrastructure.
Watch the moment Bangkok road breaks, causing a sinkhole. The SUV was stuck, but no injuries were reported. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt is on scene, and orders immediate repairs. pic.twitter.com/4e3ECQSv8t
— Pack (@packthecool) November 7, 2023
