Six more workers were killed and 11 injured in Rama 2 motorway collapse, pushing the total death toll to 142 since 2018. Thailand’s police chief ordered a criminal probe as officials investigate the cause of the disaster and promised compensation for victims’ families.
Thailand’s police chief has ordered a comprehensive criminal investigation into a roadworks disaster in the early hours of Friday morning. On Friday, a sixth fatality was confirmed after heavy girders and cement elements crashed during a difficult engineering manoeuvre. The incident occurred in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, as workers toiled on the Rama 2 motorway project. In addition, 11 workers were reported injured—five Thais and six migrant workers. Certainly, this is not the first fatal accident linked to the Rama 2 project. Previously, the project had already claimed 136 lives across no fewer than 2,245 accidents.
Thailand’s police chief has ordered a comprehensive criminal investigation into a roadworks disaster in the early hours of Friday morning. Hours later, a sixth fatality was confirmed after heavy girders and cement elements crashed during a difficult engineering manoeuvre.
The incident occurred in Samut Sakhon province, south of Bangkok, as workers toiled on the Rama 2 motorway project. In addition, 11 workers were reported injured—five Thais and six migrant workers.
Certainly, this is not the first fatal accident linked to the Rama 2 project. Previously, the project had already claimed 136 lives across no fewer than 2,245 accidents.
Roadwork collapse in Samut Sakhon prompts investigation as engineers assess the cause of disaster
The accident occurred in the Nadi subdistrict in the centre of Samut Sakhon.
Workers engaged in building a flyover in the early hours of the morning faced disaster when an object weighing hundreds of tons crashed during a complicated engineering manoeuvre. Technicians from the Institute of Engineering and government agencies have begun investigating the origin of the disaster.
On Friday and Saturday, officials led by the Governor of Samut Sakhon and senior police officers focused on reopening the busy highway heading south to Bangkok.
Officials organize alternate routes as the search for bodies continues and traffic flows resume on highway
Governor Naris Niramaiwong, Police Lieutenant Colonel Santhi Thamjai, Chief of the Samut Sakhon Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, and Police Colonel Pichetphong Chaengkhaikhom, the Superintendent of Samut Sakhon Police Station, were at the scene.
Alternative route arrangements were made while a search for further bodies continued. The final and sixth deceased person was only confirmed on Friday.
This is not the first serious accident on this project. Since it began in 2018, there have been 136 fatalities and 2,245 recorded incidents.
On Friday, Police General Kittirat ordered Provincial Police Region 7 to conduct a rigorous investigation into the incident. The police chief stated that he wanted the contractors, subcontractors, and even the workforce critically examined. He vowed that legal action would follow wherever fault was found.
Similarly, Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungruangkit, who has taken a hardline stance toward contractual project accidents, ordered a committee set up by the Department of Highways to probe the incident.
Transport minister demands investigation. Officials promise compensation for families of victims and injured
The minister, who was away in Chiang Mai for a mobile cabinet meeting, spoke by phone with Mr. Apirat Chaiwongnoi, Director-General of the Department of Highways. He urged officials to express condolences to the families of the injured and deceased and promised expedited compensation for those involved.
Mr. Woranat Noorot, Deputy Governor of Samut Sakhon Province, explained that each deceased family will receive ฿800,000. Meanwhile, the injured will receive full treatment until they have fully recovered. The main contractor involved has assured officials that all injured and deceased workers will be provided for.
This is the second accident in 2024. Notably, the contractors on the project have made progress in reducing accidents since 2018. For instance, in 2023, there were 263 accidents resulting in 13 deaths and 139 injuries.
Certainly, the project has been particularly troubled by accidents and deaths. In 2022, there were 434 accidents, leaving 16 dead and 229 injured.
Before this, in 2020 and 2021, there were 640 accidents, resulting in a total of 41 deaths and 393 injuries. In the first two years of the contract, no fewer than 61 people lost their lives, and 543 were injured in 906 recorded accidents.
Cranes deployed for debris removal as experts investigate technical failure and collapse cause analysis
On Friday and Saturday, large cranes were moved into the area to remove debris. However, this operation may take some time because the crashed crane or gantry and roadway are partially destroyed.
Technical experts are working to understand what happened and how to safely dismantle the damaged structure.
Mr. Wuttinan Patamawisut, Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Institute of Engineering, pointed out on Friday that the hanging structure weighs 100 tons with a large object on top.
Additionally, a seperate hanging object is estimated to weigh 50 tons.
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The engineering expert suggested that the cause could be the failure of a hydraulic pump or a fallen rider cable.
“I understand that the reason it fell was due to an issue during the arrangement. I’m not sure if it was the hydraulic pump or the rider cable that failed. It would be challenging to dismantle it from above. We will definitely need large cranes because this structure hanging is estimated to weigh more than 100 tons, with some parts suspended from concrete segments. It will likely need several cranes because each piece may weigh over 200 tons. We have a team that manages the cranes,” explained Mr. Wuttinan.
On Friday, Minister Suriya told reporters that Thailand may have to increase its safety standards, particularly suggesting the adoption of the international ISO standard for building projects.
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