Careless smoker almost torches Thailand’s longest wooden bridge

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

A wooden bridge in Kanchanaburi, the longest of its kind in Thailand, was saved from fire on Sunday night when passers-by spotted smoke and alerted the authorities.

 

Two Kanchanaburi Forest Protection Foundation volunteers were crossing Uttamanusorn Bridge over the Galia River at 9.30pm and saw smoke billowing from a wooden pillar.

 

They called the Sangklaburi police station, whose officers arrived with soldiers and put out the fire in just 15 minutes.

 

Police suspect someone tossed aside a cigarette butt and it landed against the wood.

 

Uttamanusorn Bridge, commonly referred to as Mon Bridge, is considered a local landmark. Luangpor Uttama initiated the project that in 1986 and 1987 linked the ethnic Mon community to Tambon Wang Ka.

 

During floods in July 2013, a large tree swept along by the river current smashed through the bridge at the centre.

 

Kanchanaburi provincial administration had a private firm begin repairs, but the job was left incomplete until October the following year, when the Army’s Ninth Infantry Division helped residents finish the repairs in just 29 days.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30345905

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-05-21

I have been on a trip to Sanghklaburi a few years ago and saw this bridge and also went on a boat ride to see some sunken temples. Stayed at one of the many resorts nearby. Many nice restaurants on the riverside overlooking this wooden bridge, serving locally caught fish. I would recommend an overnight trip for long time expats who are looking for a new place to explore, away from the crowded one week tourists. Not sure if the Chinese tourists are being taken there in tour buses now.

Edited May 21, 20188 yr by saakura

I guess that one has smoked his last cigarette. 

OK, so just pure speculation that it was a cig butt.

UK Health and Safety inspectors wet dream that bridge !

Yha right, maybe a muslim tried to burn down the bridge, maybe a piece of glass was working as a lens and set fire, maybe some locals were burning down forest and it came on the bridge, maybe there was lightning striking in anymore reasons for starting a fire?

Sacrifice the order for a used Chinese submarine and replace this bridge with a modern and safer bridge.

Surprising really. When at least once a day, someone on TV warns about burning ones bridges.

A private firm got the contract for repairs and did not complete the contract. Oh dear, the greed, corruption and maybe the lack of expertise is endless.

17 hours ago, saakura said:

I have been on a trip to Sanghklaburi a few years ago and saw this bridge and also went on a boat ride to see some sunken temples. Stayed at one of the many resorts nearby. Many nice restaurants on the riverside overlooking this wooden bridge, serving locally caught fish. I would recommend an overnight trip for long time expats who are looking for a new place to explore, away from the crowded one week tourists. Not sure if the Chinese tourists are being taken there in tour buses now.

Yes I did a similar trip but some years ago now. Very interesting. I used public transport and it was a bit arduous, but quite the adventure. 

21 hours ago, saakura said:

I have been on a trip to Sanghklaburi a few years ago and saw this bridge and also went on a boat ride to see some sunken temples. Stayed at one of the many resorts nearby. Many nice restaurants on the riverside overlooking this wooden bridge, serving locally caught fish. I would recommend an overnight trip for long time expats who are looking for a new place to explore, away from the crowded one week tourists. Not sure if the Chinese tourists are being taken there in tour buses now.

Thank you for the info saakura

Went a couple of times. Have seen the bridge b4 the floods and after. And while the contractor was not able and/or willing to repair, the villagers in between builded a floating bamboo bridge next to the other one, went during that time as well.

And better give Sankhlaburi a miss on weekends and holidays, unless your into an all night karaoke session with Bangkonian teens who do the trips on their 110cc Waves, you have been warned. ?

 

20 hours ago, Srikcir said:

Sacrifice the order for a used Chinese submarine and replace this bridge with a modern and safer bridge.

This is the modern and safer bridge hahaha