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UPDATE First Worker Found Dead in Tunnel Collapse Picture from the scene of the body discovery. A tragic discovery has been made as the first worker trapped in the collapsed railway tunnel has been found dead, with the efforts to rescue the remaining two workers are ongoing. Ekarat Sriarayanpong, head of the Governor's Office at the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), provided an update on the rescue operation, which has now entered its fifth day. At 11:00 on August 29, the SRT rescue team, alongside the Hunan Sunshine Rescue Team from China, confirmed the discovery of the first worker's body. The identity of the deceased has not yet been disclosed. The rescue teams have faced numerous challenges over the past few days, including continuous landslides from above the tunnel, which have complicated the digging process. Additionally, attempts to use a rescue pipe were hindered by rock layers, forcing the teams to switch to constructing support boxes to prevent further soil and rock from falling, which remains a significant obstacle. Despite these difficulties, the rescue teams are working around the clock, with the hope of finding and rescuing the remaining two workers alive. The goal is to try to complete the rescue operation by the end of today. The State Railway of Thailand has expressed its deepest condolences and is committed to providing full support and compensation to the family of the deceased worker. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Transport Surapong Piyachote has encouraged the rescue teams to remain patient and cautious, emphasising the importance of safety during the rescue operations. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Vehicle Reached in Collapsed Railway Tunnel Picture of the vehicle located by rescuers. Authorities have located a vehicle in the collapsed railway tunnel. Rescue operations are ongoing, but efforts have been hindered by repeated landslides caused by loose soil and rocks from the surrounding mountains, forcing teams to shift to manual excavation. At 09:30, August 29, Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum confirmed that a one-metre-thick layer of earth has been cleared, revealing the vehicle beneath, but the missing workers have not yet been found, LifeLocator radar detected signals indicating they are trapped about one metre below the vehicle. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Lucky Escape for Woman Driving Car Struck by Train at Railway Crossing in Samut Sakhon A woman driving an MG car was struck by a train at a railway crossing in Samut Sakhon, after she reportedly did not hear the train’s whistle. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336757-lucky-escape-for-woman-driving-car-struck-by-train-at-railway-crossing-in-samut-sakhon/

Picture from responders. A woman driving an MG car was struck by a train at a railway crossing in Samut Sakhon, after she reportedly did not hear the train’s whistle. The incident, which occurred at approximately 06:30 on August 29, left her car damaged but she escaped uninjured. The accident took place at a railway crossing on Duen Bang Road, near Somporn Garage, in Maha Chai, Mueang District. Police Lieutenant Suwit Moolsongkiet, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) at Mueang Samut Sakhon Police Station, was notified of the accident and promptly arrived at the scene. The MG car, registered in Bangkok, was found off the road, having plunged into nearby grass. The front left side of the car was damaged from the impact. The driver, identified as Ms. Daothana (surname withheld), 33, recounted that she was on her way to work and did not hear the train’s whistle as she approached the crossing. She said she was in the process of crossing the tracks when the train struck her car. Remarkably, she did not sustain any injuries, although she was understandably shaken by the incident. Upon investigation, police discovered that the railway crossing was equipped with a warning signal, but there were no barriers or staff to monitor the crossing, as it was an unauthorised crossing point. Authorities coordinated the removal of the car and will continue the investigation. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

High-Speed Rail Tunnel Collapse Incident: Update as of August 29, 06.00. The Disaster Command Centre provided an update on the ongoing search and rescue efforts for individuals trapped inside the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel. The key developments are as follows: 1. Breakthrough in Excavation Efforts. At 02:00, a Chinese worker informed a Thai engineer that they had successfully used a hydraulic hammer to drill through soil and rock at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The drilling operation penetrated through the rock and found a layer of concrete, which had been mixed with a fast-setting agent and had previously been sprayed on the tunnel's surface and into the collapse, to help stabilise the situation.The concrete layer was about 1 metre thick and located at a point where scanning equipment had detected potential life signals. 2.Coordination with USAR Teams.: Upon receiving this information, the engineer coordinated with the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams to strategise the next steps for locating and rescuing the victims once the concrete layer was breached. 3. Structural Integrity The tunnel's ceiling and walls have been inspected, and no further signs of further collapse or structural deterioration have been detected. Current Status No survivors have been reached at the site of the incident as of this report. Search and rescue operations are ongoing. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Tourist Dies After Jumping from 7th Floor of Pattaya Hotel A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of August 29 when a 36-year-old man died after falling from the 7th floor of a hotel in central Pattaya. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336751-tourist-dies-after-jumping-from-7th-floor-of-pattaya-hotel/

Picture from the scene courtesy of Siamchon news A tragic incident occurred in the early hours of August 29 when a 36-year-old, believed to possibly be a New Zealand man, identified as Mr (name removed) died after jumping from the 7th floor of a hotel in central Pattaya. The incident took place at approximately 06:00, when Pol. Lt. Chanan Kesornbua of Pattaya City Police Station received a report of a foreign national falling from a height and dying on impact. The incident occurred at a hotel located in a beachfront alley, off Soi 8, in Pattaya, Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District. Pol. Lt. Kesornbua immediately informed his superior, Pol. Col. Navin Teerawit, Chief of Pattaya City Police Station, and coordinated with Pattaya Tourist Police and Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Rescue Foundation to rush to the scene. Upon arrival, authorities found hotel staff and some guests gathered in shock. The victim's body was discovered entangled with air conditioning pipes and electrical wires at the back of a nearby building, having fallen from the balcony of his hotel room. The scene was described as horrific, with the man having died instantly from the fall. Witnesses, including hotel staff, reported that the victim appeared to be in a state resembling drug-induced hallucinations. He was heard frantically shouting "HELP ME!!!" in English, as staff attempted to communicate with and assist him. However, before they could intervene, the man tragically leaped from the balcony, plummeting to his death. Pol. Lt. Kesornbua conducted a detailed investigation at the scene, confirming no evidence of foul play. The hotel staff also provided a video clip showing the victim in a distressed state just moments before the incident, which will serve as evidence in the ongoing investigation. The victim's body has been transported to the Police General Hospital's Forensic Institute for an autopsy. If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress or depression. Seek help. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe Apologies, ASEAN NOW is not currently accepting comments on this topic //CLOSED//

Drinking Water Truck Plunges Into Rapeepat Canal; Two Dead An accident occurred when a truck carrying drinking water collided with a pickup truck and lost control, plunging into the Rapeepat Canal. The incident resulted in the immediate deaths of two individuals. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336736-drinking-water-truck-plunges-into-rapeepat-canal-two-dead/

Picture from responders. An accident occurred on August 28, when a truck carrying drinking water collided with a pickup truck and lost control, plunging into the Rapeepat Canal. The incident resulted in the immediate deaths of two individuals. Police Lieutenant Colonel Pramuan Nawan-ngam, an investigator from Nong Suea Police Station, received a report of the accident involving two pickup trucks near the bridge crossing Canal 13, in front of the Sala Khru Health Promotion Hospital in Moo 6, Sala Khru Subdistrict, Nong Suea District, Pathum Thani Province. He arrived at the scene with a doctor from Nong Suea Hospital and volunteers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation. At the scene, authorities found an Isuzu D-Max gray pickup truck with license plate Bangkok, which had lost control and fallen into the canal. Two individuals were pronounced dead from drowning, at the scene: Mr. Supanat, 18, the driver of the water delivery truck, and Mr. Thanaphon, 22, the passenger, both residents of Nong Samwang Subdistrict, Pathum Thani Province. Nearby, a black Mazda pickup truck with license plate Bangkok was parked by the bridge. The driver, Mr. Sompong, 73, an assistant village headman of Sala Khru, was unharmed. Mr. Sompong reported that he was returning from a meeting at the Nong Suea District Office and was on his way home to deliver documents to the village headman. As he was driving past the intersection near the bridge crossing the canal, the water delivery truck suddenly crashed into his vehicle, it lost control, and plunged into the canal. The incident was immediately reported to the police and rescue services by nearby villagers. Lieutenant Colonel Pramuan stated that Mr. Sompongin was brought in for questioning at Nong Suea Police Station. The bodies of the deceased were sent to the Somdet Phra Thep Medical Centre for further examination. Authorities will contact the victims' families for funeral arrangements according to their religious practices. The investigation of the incident is ongoing. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

UPDATE No Survivors Reached Yet in Collapsed High-Speed Rail Tunnel The Incident Command Centre for the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel has issued an update on the search and rescue operations, which steps back from the statements made yesterday that the first worker had been rescued. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336423-landslide-buries-workers-inside-high-speed-rail-tunnel-construction-in-nakhon-ratchasima/?do=findComment&comment=19188763

UPDATE No Survivors Reached Yet in Collapsed High-Speed Rail Tunnel Picture of the life detector radar scan from evening of August 28. The Incident Command Centre for the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel has issued an update on the search and rescue operations, which steps back from the statements made late evening of August 28, that the first worker had been rescued. The current situation is summarised as follows: 1. The Chinese engineering team has been continuously strengthening and reinforcing support structures to allow rescue workers to safely search in areas where victims are believed to be trapped. 2. Rocks and soil obstructing the rescue team’s operations have been cleared from the area within the reinforced structures. 3. The USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team conducted a scan for signs of life and movement. Signals were detected at a depth of 1.8 metre beneath a large boulder. 4. Efforts to drill and break through the large boulder blocking the search route in the area where the scan detected signs of life are ongoing. 5. Three subsidence sensors have been installed on the tunnel ceiling to ensure the safety and security of rescue workers. 6. Medical teams, rescue units, and police officers have prepared a plan to transport any survivors to the hospital, once safety removed from the tunnel. -- 2024-08-29 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Rescuers are still not able to reach missing worker. Following the earlier statement to the media, that the first worker had been reached, it has now been clarified that the latest operation has been delayed again due to a large rock blocking the access route to the vehicle, so they are unable to reach him.. Officials must plan to break through the rock first to open the access route. The rescue teams have withdrawn from the tunnel to discuss a replan how to continue the operation. Apologises that the information has changes, but the earlier report was based on statements made to the media by senior officials.

i think any drilling for bolts would have been done by a Jumbo type vehicle. The bolts will only have to be shallow as it looks like the tunnel was using a metal lining, rather than mesh and shotcrete. I was thinking more of the exploration type drill rig, so quick deep holes could be drilled and lined if necessary.

This is my personal opinion on this rescue (this is not the view of the AN news team, but my own). The incident occurred after the roof collapsed, I have seen no details of the geological problem which caused this. It does appear that the workers were possibly in an area of unsupported ground, which is normally a no go zone, as before collapsing this type of roof should have shown some bowing or sagging, which should have been noticed on daily safety and geo tech inspections or by work teams. Questions on safety standards that can be asked are, no self rescue devices on workers, no emergency refuge chamber given the distance of travel, lack of helmet lamps, workers in short sleeves and no tag board system, as they did not even know the name of the Myanmar worker.. it is unclear if the site had emergency plans in place and what liaison had taken place between other agencies, or if any drills or training had taken place. Once the workers became trapped, there were 2 options, vertical or horizontal rescue. Given the unstable ground conditions and possible lack of suitable equipment, vertical access looked a non-starter. it is strange that no communications equipment, radios, were in place, to establish initial contact with the missing workers. Also there is no evidence that the construction company had access to a horizontal drill rig, which could have initially drilled small exploratory holes to help located and contact the missing workers. The USAR teams are well equipped, with life detection radar, endoscope cameras and seismic sound devices. The problem is gaining access through a very unstable earth pile, which continued to collapse. Concrete was injected in the collapsed area to try to help stabilise the rubble and the first plan, which failed, was the small circular pipe. The use of a construction of an old style mining access tunnel seemed the next logical and safe step, and clearance of the earth fall was never going to be achieved. Incident command has been a problem, as there seems no structure in place with too many agencies wanting be involved at the response level. Those agencies need to work together in the crisis command, supporting, not running the incident response, and provide the logistical support and deal with family and media requirements. Clear and concise media briefings would help convey a message that the rescue is under control. Too many unrealistic promises have been made, setting rescue timings, which are always doomed to fail. The good sign is that the first worker is found and alive, so hope remains for the other two.

The Myanmar driver remains trapped in the dump truck. Rescue teams are in contact with the worker and are working to extract him safely by manually removing debris around the vehicle. Medical teams are on standby inside the tunnel to evaluate whether the driver should be evacuated by helicopter, said caretaker Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, speaking to the media. egarding the two remaining trapped Chinese nationals, Anutin stated that one is believed to be inside a vehicle approximately 3-4 metres away from the Myanmar driver, while the other is about 14 metres away and not inside any vehicle. They are believed to still be alive, as movements were detected by a life detection radar device. -- 2024-08-28 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, arrived at the scene and had been briefed before the first casualty was found. Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

First Worker Found Alive from Collapsed High-Speed Rail Tunnel: Myanmar National Found Trapped in Vehicle. The first worker trapped in the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel has been rescued. The worker, a Myanmar national, was discovered inside a vehicle within the tunnel. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336423-landslide-buries-workers-inside-high-speed-rail-tunnel-construction-in-nakhon-ratchasima/?do=findComment&comment=19187566

UPDATE First Worker Rescued from Collapsed High-Speed Rail Tunnel: Myanmar National Found Trapped in Vehicle. Picture from the scene The first worker trapped in the collapsed high-speed rail tunnel has been rescued. The worker, a Myanmar national, was discovered inside a vehicle within the tunnel. Rescue personnel knocked on the vehicle door and received a signal in response, confirming the worker's location and condition. At 14:55 on August 28,Medical teams were immediately dispatched to provide support, including food and medicine, before assessing the situation to determine the safest method for transporting the worker to the hospital, either by helicopter or vehicle. -- 2024-08-28 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Ambulance Accident in Phichit, One Fatality and Several Injured An accident occurred in Phichit Province involving a collision between a pickup truck/ambulance, which had run into the rear of an 18-wheeler truck. Full story: https://aseannow.com/topic/1336680-ambulance-accident-in-phichit-one-fatality-and-several-injured/

The USAR (Urban Search And Rescue) team are quoted to be using life detector radar equipment to locate the missing workers. This is portable radio detection system designed to locate survivors buried under rubble or debris by either movement or breathing and is normally based on GPR (ground penetrating radar) technology, which allows it to accurately pinpoint the location of a survivor and determine the distance to him or her. The device is very simple to operate and sends a GPR signals into the collapsed earth, quickly fixing on any movement or breathing. An accompanying Tablet PC displays the distance to the survivor using one coloured line for movement and a another coloured line for breathing. Example of expected display below. Detection by motion Detection by breathing The location of the missing workers are noted on this diagram, used at this morning’s media briefing.

Rescue Efforts Hampered by Repeated Cave-Ins Picture courtesy of ThaiRath, showing the new collapsed hole from the external of the tunnel. Rescue teams continue their struggle to save three individuals trapped in the collapsed Klong Phai railway tunnel in Nakhon Ratchasima. Despite extensive efforts, no one has yet been rescued. The situation worsened when a secondary collapse of the tunnel’s ceiling was reported, further complicating the rescue operations. Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum arrived at the scene to oversee the rescue efforts. He convened an emergency meeting with key officials, including Deputy Governor Suraphan Silpasuwan, Pak Chong District Chief Kanatchanom Sricharoen, Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office Chief Krit Phunkasem, engineers from Naowarat Phatthanakan Public Company Limited, Chinese construction company Ju Zhong, engineers from the State Railway of Thailand, and rescue teams from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation. The K-9 unit and medical teams were also present to assess the worsening situation. The briefing revealed that the tunnel ceiling had collapsed, creating a hole approximately 2 to 3 meters wide, allowing light to enter the tunnel. The incident posed a significant risk to rescue workers, prompting the USAR team to withdraw temporarily. A drone was deployed to assess the extent of the collapse and to gather data for further analysis. Yesterday, a rescue tunnel measuring 3 metres by 3 metres was constructed, with an additional tunnel measuring 2.5 metres deep. The rescue team anticipated reaching the location where vital signs were detected earlier today, but progress was halted due to unstable conditions. The search has now entered its fourth day, with the likelihood of survival decreasing as time passes. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul is expected to arrive by helicopter to personally oversee the rescue operations around midday. Later in the afternoon, Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungreangkit will visit the site to assess the situation. The rescue teams remain on high alert, though the chances of a successful rescue are becoming increasingly slim. -- 2024-08-28 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Picture from responders A tragic accident occurred on August 27, at approximately 03:30 on the Sak Lek-Wang Sai Phun Road in Phichit Province. The Mangkon Phichit Rescue Unit, responded to an emergency call regarding a collision between a pickup truck/ambulance, which had run into the rear of an 18-wheeler truck. The accident involved a rescue team ambulance from the Phutthammasongkroh Lamnarai Foundation, which was transporting flood relief supplies to Sukhothai Province and was not carrying any patients. The rescue vehicle collided with the back of the 18-wheeler, which is not known was stopped or slow moving, resulting in multiple injuries and one fatality. Three individuals were involved in the accident: - A 42-year-old male sustained a fractured left leg and a hip injury. - A 12-year-old boy suffered from neck pain and multiple abrasions on his face and body. - A 35-year-old woman, multiple injuries,who despite receiving CPR, tragically passed away at the scene. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. -- 2024-08-28 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

UPDATE Rescue Efforts Near Success in Collapsed Railway Tunnel Picture of the new temporary rescue tunnel being constructed. Rescue teams are within one metre of reaching the first of three workers trapped in the collapsed high-speed railway tunnel in Thailand. All three victims have shown signs of movement. The incident occurred during the construction of the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway between Bangkok and Nakhon Ratchasima, specifically in the 1.5-kilometre long third tunnel located between Chakkarat Station and Khlong Khanan Chit in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The collapse, which trapped two Chinese workers and one Myanmar worker approximately 600 metres from the tunnel entrance, happened in the early hours of 25 August. On the morning of 28 August, Mr. Krikkesak Sann Vasasiri, Director of the Special Operations for Search and Rescue at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, provided an update on the rescue efforts. The team is constructing a temporary tunnel within the collapsed one, using steel beams and wooden structures to support the excavation. Rescue teams are employing a diagonal digging method, using machinery to carefully excavate the debris until they reach the first worker, whose position was detected 1.2 metres away by motion-detection equipment. The second worker is believed to be 8 metres further in, and the third another 14 metres beyond. Challenges have arisen due to sliding soil on the left side of the tunnel walls, which the team is countering by placing sandbags to stabilize the area. The first worker is expected to be reached and rescued today. Initial indications from motion sensors suggest that the worker is still breathing, as slight movements have been detected in the chest area. The rescue teams continue to work tirelessly to reach all three trapped individuals. -- 2024-08-28 Get the ASEAN NOW daily NEWSLETTER - Click HERE to subscribe

Additional video showing the DDPM Russian built, Ka-32A11BC variant helicopter being used. The DDPM has 4 of these aircraft, which can be used for rescue, disaster relief or converted for firefighting. RPReplay_Final1724815382.mp4

Chinese & Thai Air Forces Engage in Simulated Air Combat During Exercise Falcon Strike 2024 The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force has sent a fleet of fighters to Thailand as part of the ongoing Exercise Falcon Strike 2024. In a display of military cooperation, the fighters are squaring off against the Royal Thai Air Force’s Saab Gripen fighters in simulated air combat scenarios. Full story : https://aseannow.com/topic/1336655-chinese-thai-air-forces-engage-in-simulated-air-combat-during-exercise-falcon-strike-2024/