Anutin launches inquiry after Bangkok sinkhole causes shutdowns (video)
Police station damaged and hospital services suspended for safety
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an investigation after a road collapse near a Bangkok hospital damaged buildings, forced evacuations and shut services.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin rushed to the scene and has ordered an urgent investigation into the cause of the collapse, which occurred at a construction site for the new MRT Purple Line.
“This is a purely engineering matter. We will definitely find the cause.”
Anutin said that experts from universities and professional bodies will join the probe.
Although no injuries or fatalities were reported, the fallout has been serious. Vajira Hospital suspended outpatient services for two days, redirecting patients to Rajavithi and Lerdsin hospitals. Emergency and inpatient care remains unaffected, with backup power and water supplies ensuring critical operations continue.
Assistant Professor Dr Chakrawut Maneerit, Dean of Vajira Hospital’s Faculty of Medicine, confirmed:
“The hospital has a sufficient backup power system and water supply, so our emergency services have not been impacted.”
The collapse also left the five-storey Samsen Metropolitan Police Station damaged, with foundation piles breaking beneath the building. Officers were evacuated along with residents from nearby row houses, while authorities declared the area a danger zone. A 100-metre cordon has been set up.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt confirmed all agencies were working together to manage the crisis. The Metropolitan Waterworks Authority cut off the main water supply, while the Metropolitan Electricity Authority disconnected power in the area to reduce risk.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), which oversees the Purple Line project, has been tasked with assessing damages and sealing the underground tunnel to prevent further landslides. MRTA Governor Katpachon Udomthampakdee said the incident occurred at a connection point between a new station and an underground tunnel, reported The Nation.
He said that groundwater and soil movement in one of the tunnels may have caused the ground to shift, triggering the landslide.
“The MRTA will take full responsibility for all damages.”
Anutin insisted that public safety had been secured.
“There were no injuries or deaths, but the situation must be resolved quickly and thoroughly.”
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