Anutin Orders Investigation into Bangkok Road Collapse
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul promises accountability for the sinkhole and damage to property
- Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an urgent investigation into a major road collapse in Bangkok, which was caused by a landslide at an MRT Purple Line construction site.
- Although there were no injuries or fatalities, the collapse damaged the Samsen Metropolitan Police Station and forced the temporary closure of Vajira Hospital's outpatient department.
- The investigation will be a cooperative effort between the government, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), and engineering experts to determine the precise cause.
- The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which is responsible for the construction project, has been tasked with assessing damages and has pledged to take full responsibility.
Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Anutin Charnvirakul, has ordered an urgent investigation into the cause of a major road collapse in Bangkok.
The incident, which took place on Wednesday morning near Vajira Hospital, was caused by a landslide at a construction site for the new MRT Purple Line.
While there were no injuries or fatalities, the sinkhole has damaged a police station and led to the temporary closure of a hospital's outpatient services.
"The safety of the public has been secured, and there were no injuries or deaths," Prime Minister Anutin said after visiting the site.
He confirmed that while Vajira Hospital's building remains structurally sound, the nearby five-storey Samsen Metropolitan Police Station has been affected, with two or three of its foundation piles breaking.
All police officers and residents from nearby row houses were evacuated.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Anutin stated that the government is working as a team with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and other agencies to resolve the situation.
Vajira Hospital has suspended its outpatient department (OPD) for two days and is redirecting patients to other nearby hospitals, including Rajavithi and Lerdsin.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which is responsible for the project, has been tasked with assessing all damages and holding those responsible accountable.
The Prime Minister has requested the cooperation of engineering experts from various professional bodies and universities to help determine the cause of the collapse.
"This is a purely engineering matter. We will definitely find the cause," Anutin said, noting that the incident began when people saw water welling up from the road surface.
The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Vajira Hospital, Assistant Professor Dr Chakrawut Maneerit, confirmed that the hospital's outpatient services would be suspended for two days, but emergency and inpatient services would continue as normal.
He added that the hospital has a sufficient backup power system and is receiving water supply from the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, so the closure of main utilities in the area has had no impact on its ability to provide critical care.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed that all agencies are cooperating to manage the crisis.
The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority has cut the main water pipe, and the Metropolitan Electricity Authority has disconnected power in the area.
The MRTA is working quickly to seal the underground tunnel to prevent further landslides. The police station and adjacent buildings have been deemed a danger zone, and a 100-metre cordon has been established.
According to MRTA Governor Katpachon Udomthampakdee, the incident occurred at the connection point between the new station and the underground tunnel.
While the exact cause is under investigation, he suggested that groundwater and soil movement in the lower of the two tunnels may have caused the ground to shift. He reaffirmed that the MRTA would take full responsibility for all damages.
