Bangkok Expressway Collapse: Commuters Face Month-Long Delays
Bangkok, Thailand—A precarious single-lane detour opened on Monday at 6:00 a. m., providing limited access to the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway via the Dao Khanong toll plaza. This follows Saturday’s dramatic collapse of a section of the inbound Rama II Road expressway. The Expressway Authority of Thailand (Exat) confirmed the detour, offering some relief to motorists.
The collapse occurred early Saturday morning when a beam being erected for the new Rama III-Dao Khanong-Bangkok Outer Western Ring Road expressway failed catastrophically. The beam fell onto the Dao Khanong ramp, causing a significant amount of concrete and steel to fall, completely blocking access to the Chalerm Maha Nakhon expressway. Images from the scene show extensive damage, a tangle of twisted metal and shattered concrete.
Exat is working to restore full functionality to the inbound lanes, aiming for complete access to the Dao Khanong toll plaza within seven days. The outbound ramp, however, presents a more significant challenge. The collapse damaged a section of the existing elevated structure, complicating cleanup and reconstruction. Exat estimates a 30-day timeframe for reopening the outbound ramp.
As of Monday, debris removal was approximately 75% complete, reflecting the round-the-clock efforts of cleanup crews. This rapid response highlights the importance of this expressway to Bangkok’s transportation network. The disruption has caused significant inconvenience to commuters, underscoring the vulnerability of urban infrastructure to unforeseen events.
The construction project, aimed at expanding Bangkok’s highway capacity, is being executed by the ITD-VCB Joint Venture, a partnership between Italian-Thai Development Plc and Vichitbhan Construction Co. The cause of the collapse is under investigation, raising concerns about construction practices and safety protocols. The investigation will scrutinize the project’s planning, execution, and oversight to determine the root cause and prevent future incidents.
Exat’s swift action in establishing a detour, while limited, demonstrates a commitment to mitigating the disruption. However, the incident highlights the critical importance of rigorous safety measures in large-scale infrastructure projects and the potentially devastating consequences of their failure. The full impact on traffic flow and the overall cost of damage and repairs remain to be determined. As cleanup and investigation continue, Bangkok residents await the full restoration of this vital transportation link.
