An Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) inquiry has found substandard building materials caused the deadly collapse of a suspension bridge in Ayutthaya last month.
The EIT will send an official report to a government panel investigating the collapse next week.
Adisak Khaonoona, chairman of the government panel, said he was made aware of the report’s findings yesterday.
The institute found the main bridge cables did not meet minimum standards, he said. This caused stay cables on one side of the bridge to snap.
Four people were killed and 23 injured when Rattanakosin bridge in Tha Rua district collapsed on April 28.
The bridge spanned the Pasak River between Moo 5 and Moo 6 of tambon Tha Luang.
Mr Adisak, who is also chief of Ayutthaya’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, said his panel had recommended that Tha Luang municipality file a lawsuit against TMI Drill and Construction Co Ltd, which was contracted to build the bridge in 2011.
The Lawyers Council of Thailand will represent the victims and their families in pursuing legal action against Tha Luang municipality, he said.
Mr Adisak said the EIT’s findings were in line with those of the Interior Ministry’s Public Works and City Planning Department. Both the public works department and the Department of Rural Roads inspected the construction blueprints and said the design was sound.
However, he said there was a discrepancy between the number of stay cables outlined in the initial blueprint and the number used in construction.
Initially, 22 cables had been planned for each side of the bridge. The number was later cut to 12. Mr Adisak said a test was conducted and the findings suggested 12 cables per side was enough to support the structure.
The EIT also suggested repair work be carried out for another bridge spanning the Pasak River which was closed amid fears of structural flaws, Mr Adisak said.
He said the province will ask the Interior Ministry to set aside a budget of 3 million baht to fund the repairs.
Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/350253/eit-blames-dodgy-cables-for-bridge-fall
