Bangkokians warned big building sites still unsafe

TNR Staff

2 years ago

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AFTER some hair-raising accidents at construction projects in Bangkok last year, Democrat Party’s deputy leader who is also a professor in civil engineering warned that residents are still risk of being killed or injured at big building sites thus should support his campaign to set up an independent organisation to monitor them, TV Channel 7 said this evening (Jan. 1).

Mr. Suchatvee Suwansawat, Democrat deputy leader for Bangkok area, mentioned three major construction project accidents that occurred last year as follows:

– An under-construction overpass bridge on Luang Phaeng road, Lad Krabang district, collapsed on July 11 killing two workers and injuring seven others. A couple narrowly escaped death after their pickup truck suddenly stalled moments before large chunks of concrete fell right in front with a metal beam landing on the roof.

– Two people got injured when a 10-wheel truck overloaded with dirt fell through a temporary concrete covering of an underground electrical conduit pit near Soi Sukhumvit 64/1 on Nov. 8 and this led to a massive traffic jam that stretched further than Bang Na intersection. It took six hours to pull the truck out.

– Three kilometres of MRT Pink Line’s conductor rail fell on the road before dawn on Dec. 24 leading to service on this route being closed for seven days.

Suchatvee added that other construction site accidents have also occurred on Rama 2 and other roads across Bangkok with this showing that the people of Bangkok are at risk of death and injury at any time at all from this type of mishaps.

This being the case, he has now launched a sign-up campaign to set up an independent organisation for public safety. This agency will be assigned to investigate big accidents, receive public complaints, push for harsh penalties against wrongdoers and obtain fair compensation for those suffering losses.

So far 5,000 people have signed up at his website, http://www.suchatvee.com, with 10,000 names needed to table a draft bill to set up this agency in the House of Representatives.

CAPTIONS:

Top and first below: Pink Line conductor rail after falling to the ground before dawn on Dec. 24, 2023. All photos:Naewna

Insert: Democrat Deputy leader Suchatvee Suwansawat. Photo: Thai Rath

Further below and Front Page: The under-construction overpass bridge on Luang Phaeng road, Lad Krabang district, that collapsed on July 10, 2023. Photos: Sanook.com