Blast from the past: Home rebuilds reignited after firework disaster
After more than a year of frustrating delays, construction has finally kicked off again on new homes for victims of last year’s catastrophic firework warehouse explosion near Muno Market. On July 29, 2023, the town was rocked by the devastating blast, which tragically claimed 11 lives, left 389 injured, and wreaked havoc on 649 houses as well as three schools, leaving a staggering 240 million baht damage in its wake.
Now, thanks to the tireless efforts of 15 local contractors, work has resumed on rebuilding the 76 homes obliterated in the disaster. Disaster Prevention Officer Peeranan Hattakijnikorn confirmed that each home is set to be completed within four to five months. While one home awaits a land deed transfer, the paperwork for the others is all wrapped up.
Construction had initially begun in September last year, only to hit a wall due to bureaucratic hitches with the Disaster Relief Fund, which supports victims by funding the rebuilding efforts, said Peeranan.
“After the disaster, everyone scrambled to speed up reconstruction, but government red tape got in the way. Now that’s sorted, we’re full steam ahead.”
In a bid to turn tragedy into opportunity, the Muno TAO is offering homeowners the choice of their dream design from a set list. Out of the fresh batch of homes, 73 will flaunt 1.5 floors, while three will stand proudly as two-storey houses.
District Chief Anirut Bua-on took charge yesterday, October 14, rallying the contractors for a crucial meeting to iron out the dos and don’ts. Though some builders wanted to cut corners, Anirut laid down the law—any spec changes must get the thumbs up from both an engineer and the Muno TAO. Flouting the rules not only risks collapsing dreams but could also land contractors in hot water with breach of contract charges.
Anirut also dropped the hammer on quality assurance, demanding a one-year guarantee on all construction work. Should any homeowner spot defects, the onus is on the contractors to fix them, no questions asked, Bangkok Post reported.
