Bangkok road collapse linked to siphon pipe works
A road collapse near Bangkok’s Fai Chai intersection disrupted traffic yesterday, May 9, and caused a passing motorcyclist to fall, with officials linking the damage to siphon pipe installation beneath the road.
The collapse reportedly happened at about 2.42pm on Charan Sanitwong Road outside Vichaivej Hospital in Bangkok Noi district.
Witnesses said one traffic lane collapsed as a motorcycle was passing through the area, causing the rider to fall. No serious injuries were reported.
Officials closed traffic near Charan Sanitwong Soi 28/6, before the Fai Chai underpass, while crews inspected the damaged lane and began repairs.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt inspected the site at about 5.10pm alongside deputy governor Wisanu Subsompon. Officials said the collapse occurred above a siphon drainage pipe being constructed about 12 metres beneath the road surface near the Fai Chai underpass.
According to Chadchart, the siphon pipe was being installed beneath Khlong Wat Thong to maintain water flow under the tunnel.
He said soil may have leaked into the unfinished pipe connection, creating a cavity beneath the road surface before a heavy truck passed through the area.
Matichon reported that initial inspections found no further ground movement and no damage to nearby building structures, including Vichaivej Hospital.
Chadchart said the hospital’s foundations extend about 21 metres underground, deeper than the drainage tunnel, and no cracks had been found during checks.
Repair work involved removing damaged road sections, filling the underground cavity, and pouring new concrete. Chadchart said he expected the road to reopen normally today, May 10, if safety inspections were completed successfully.
The governor added that officials would review CCTV footage to determine whether overloaded trucks may have contributed to the collapse, although no conclusion had yet been reached.
He also warned that incomplete construction projects during the rainy season could increase risks linked to drainage problems and soil erosion across Bangkok.
Similarly, a section of Samsen Road in front of Vajira Hospital in the Dusit district of Bangkok collapsed, following the bursting of an underground water pipe. The collapse created a vast sinkhole, measuring approximately 30 by 30 metres and plunging to a depth of 50 metres.
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