Bangkok Expressway Collapse: Five Dead, Safety Review Launched
A tragic accident on a busy Bangkok thoroughfare claimed five lives and injured 22 others, highlighting serious concerns about construction safety standards in Thailand. Early Saturday morning, a massive concrete beam being installed on an under-construction expressway bridge near Rama II Road in the Chom Thong district plummeted onto the roadway below. The catastrophic failure occurred around 1:48 a. m., near Rama II Soi 25, close to the Rama III-Dao Khanong expressway, turning the construction site into a scene of devastation.
More than 20 workers were present when the beam, approximately 200 meters from an expressway entrance, collapsed. The incident sent shockwaves through the area, prompting a rapid response from rescue teams and the Bangkok Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. Sniffer dogs and specialized equipment were deployed in a desperate search for survivors trapped amidst the debris.
By 7 a. m., five fatalities were confirmed—three Thai nationals (an engineer and two workers) and two foreign nationals. At least 22 others sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals. While rescue efforts extracted four victims, the search for one missing worker continued. A witness reported hearing ominous noises from the structure before the collapse, suggesting a potential structural issue during the concrete pouring.
The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) swiftly responded, announcing that the contractor—a joint venture between Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) and Vijitphan Construction (VCB)—would be held accountable. Exat Governor Surachet Laophulsuk confirmed the agency’s intention to pursue legal action against the ITD-VCB joint venture, which was awarded the third contract for the Rama III-Dao Khanong-Western Outer Ring Road expressway project. Asian Engineering Consultants Ltd, Chotichinda Consultants Ltd, and MAA Consultants Ltd were undertaking the actual construction.
Exat pledged a minimum compensation of 1 million baht to each family of the deceased. Mr. Laophulsuk also announced that the contractor had been ordered to suspend all work for 14 days pending a comprehensive investigation. Authorities aim to reopen the inbound Chalerm Mahanakhon Expressway at the Dao Khanong checkpoint within a week, while repairs to the outbound section are expected to take approximately 30 days. The complex debris removal, requiring careful planning to avoid further instability, presents a significant engineering challenge. Amorn Pimanmat, President of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, cautioned against premature conclusions but noted that preliminary photographic evidence suggests a failure at the crossbeams atop the columns, triggering a cascading collapse of multiple spans.
This incident underscores persistent challenges on Rama II Road, a vital artery connecting Bangkok to southern Thailand, including Hua Hin. The expressway construction, intended to alleviate traffic congestion, has ironically exacerbated the problem due to frequent mishaps and road closures. This tragedy is not isolated; Rama II Road has seen several construction accidents in recent years, including a sling failure in November 2024 (six deaths) and another in January 2024 (one death). Data from the Department of Highways reveals a disturbing trend: over 2,500 accidents on Rama II Road from 2018 to March 15, 2025, resulting in 143 deaths and 1,441 injuries. This underscores the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and rigorous oversight in construction projects. The ongoing investigation will hopefully illuminate the causes and prevent similar future incidents.
