Landslide at Bangkok MRT construction site leaves 1 worker missing

Rescue teams battle unstable ground in race to find trapped man

Petch Petpailin16 minutes agoLast Updated: Monday, May 19, 2025

74 1 minute read

Landslide at Bangkok MRT construction site leaves 1 worker missing — Photo via Matichon

A worker went missing in a landslide at a construction site for the MRT Orange Line on Lan Luang Road in Bangkok today, May 19.

Renowned Thai journalist Anuwat Fuangthongdang reported the accident on his official Facebook page this afternoon.

“Breaking news on May 19, at noon: a construction worker at the MRT station fell into a 19-metre-deep hole and was buried by a landslide. The incident occurred in Lan Luang Soi 6. The worker remains missing. The Ruam Katanyu Rescue Foundation and medical personnel are working to retrieve the individual. Wishing everyone safety.”

A member of the rescue team, Nakon Auttawut Phoamphai, also posted on Facebook, sharing that the situation was serious, as the worker was trapped beneath a substantial amount of soil.

The scene of the incident is the construction site of the Lan Luang MRT station, part of the extended MRT Orange Line project, which is overseen by the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA).

Landslide MRT construction Bangkok — Photo via Thai PBS

In the first phase of construction, which is currently underway, the Orange Line will connect with the MRT Blue Line at the Thailand Cultural Centre Station and with the Yellow Line at Yaek Lam Sali Station.

The Bangkok Post reported in November last year that the extended train line was expected to be fully operational by 2030. According to the most recent update on the official website of the MRT Orange Line, construction on 10 out of 17 stations has been completed.

MRT worker missing Bangkok — Photo via Thai PBS

The MRTA told Thai PBS that the cause of the incident would be thoroughly investigated, while insisting that worker safety had been emphasised throughout the operation.

Further details about the rescue mission have not yet been released by the rescue team or the relevant departments.

In a related story, a footpath at the Fai Chai MRT Station in Bangkok Noi district collapsed in August last year. Fortunately, no pedestrians were injured. The collapse was reportedly caused by a leaking underground water pipe.

Petch Petpailin

Petpailin, or Petch, is a Thai translator and writer for The Thaiger who focuses on translating breakingThai news stories into English. With a background in field journalism, Petch brings several years of experience to the English News desk at The Thaiger. Before joining The Thaiger, Petch worked as a content writer for several known blogging sites in Bangkok, including Happio and The Smart Local. Her articles have been syndicated by many big publishers in Thailand and internationally, including the Daily Mail, The Sun and the Bangkok Post. She is a news writer who stops reading news on the weekends to spend more time cafe hopping and petting dwarf shrimp! But during office hours, you can find Petch on LinkedIn and you can reach her by email at petch@thethaiger.com.