BMA names three sinking road locations

Deputy Bangkok Governor Theerachon Manomaipiboon said the BMA Public Works Department and district offices had surveyed 157 locations that recently underwent road repair in 36 districts. At 100 of these locations the PWD used ground penetrating radar (GPR) to scan for abnormalities beneath road surfaces. The inspection was expected to be completed this May, when the city will formulate a long-term road repair plan.
So far they have found three risky spots – a section of Wireless Road in front of Ayudhaya Bank; Phayathai Road in front of Pathumwan Princess Hotel; and Rama I Road near the BTS National Stadium Station’s third foundation post, he said. Officials will dig to further assess the subsidence risk.
The BMA Traffic and Transportation Department, the BMA Public Works Department and the district offices will together plan the road survey and the installation of public warning signs. They will also review the road/overpass building/repair dates to allow officials to estimate usage time and maintenance of roads and overpasses. He said that they would also work with infrastructure offices to maintain sewers and footpaths. He urged the public to alert city officials via the hotline 1555 if they spot cracks on concrete-paved roads or sinkholes in road surfaces.
Theerachon said there were 31,395 phone booths in Bangkok – including 325 authorised booths belonged to CAT Telecom, 5,828 True Corporation booths (3,227 authorised booths and 2,601 unauthorised booths), and 14,049 TOT booths (not yet sorted).
There were 13,361 booths belonging to six companies with TOT concessions – of these 2,533 were already removed. He said the BMA Public Works Department and agencies would meet on May 21 to survey phone booths and remove illegal ones. The removal would begin in early June and should be complete by August 12 – or December 5 as the latest.