SOIL SHIFTS SUSPECTED IN LATEST FATAL RAMA 2 ELEVATED WAY COLLAPSE
BANGKOK — An elevated expressway under construction collapsed on Saturday, March 15, killing five people and injuring 24 others, with preliminary investigations pointing to unstable soil conditions as the likely cause.
The accident occurred in the early morning hours on the Rama 2 Road, a major highway connecting Bangkok to Thailand’s southern provinces. The collapse happened at a section of the Rama 3-Dao Khanong-Western Outer Ring Road Expressway project being developed by the Expressway Authority of Thailand. Construction of the 5-kilometer elevated road began in 2022 and was originally expected to open in June 2025.
Transport Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit offered his condolences to the victims’ families and assured that compensation would be provided by contractors and relevant agencies. According to the minister, four workers—two Thai and two Myanmar nationals—and a Thai engineer were killed in the accident. No road users were affected as traffic lanes near the construction site were closed at the time of the collapse.
Bangkok Police Commander Siam Boonsom stated that authorities are still investigating to determine the cause of the collapse and promised legal action against those found responsible.
Surachet Laophulsuk, governor of the Expressway Authority, announced that efforts to clear the debris are underway but might take up to a week. The contractors working on the project have been suspended for 14 days pending the investigation.
Initial Assessment Points to Structural Failure
Associate Professor Siriwat Chaichana, Vice President of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, provided an initial assessment after examining the accident site. He noted that concrete pouring on the elevated expressway floor had been completed, suggesting the cause might be related to the temporary steel structure that served as the formwork.
“Preliminary findings indicate the temporary structure had movement issues, possibly due to unexpected soil condition changes. This caused the structure to tilt under the weight of more than 10 tons of concrete, resulting in the formwork detaching and collapsing,” Chaichana explained.
He added that the exact cause would require a more detailed investigation once the area is cleared. “If soil levels are found to be normal, we’ll need to examine the support columns. Sometimes, just a 1-centimeter error can lead to tilting and collapse.”
History of Safety Issues on Rama 2 Road
Road and construction safety remains a major problem in Thailand. The Rama 2 Road has been controversial due to its prolonged construction and frequent fatal accidents.
A previous serious accident occurred around 4:30 a.m. on November 29 during the connection of concrete beams at the Bang Khun Thian-Ban Phaeo elevated highway project, killing six workers—two Thai and four Myanmar nationals—and injuring several others.
This latest tragedy adds to Rama 2’s grim statistics. Data shows 2,242 accidents occurred on this highway between 2018 and March 2025, resulting in 143 deaths and 1,441 injuries.
New Regulations Coming
Transport Minister Suriya announced that the ministry is preparing new regulations that would suspend contractors found liable for construction accidents and blacklist them from bidding on future government projects. The ministry is working with the Comptroller General’s Department to implement these measures by the end of April.
Source: https://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/2025/03/15/soil-shifts-suspected-in-latest-fatal-rama-2-elevated-way-collapse/
