Fifteen children sustained minor injuries when a sling holding an emergency bridge snapped, sending it and its occupants crashing onto the ground, during a Children’s Day exhibition in Khuan Don district of the southernmost province of Satun.

 

The Khuan Don Tambon Administrative Organisation was showcasing the emergency bridge as part of Children’s Day outdoor activities.

 

About 35 children and adults were seated on the bridge, slung from a huge crane. As the bridge reached about 3 metres offthe ground, the slings snapped.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2024-01-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

15 Children Hurt In Emergency Bridge Demo Accident
by TNR Staff

 

Photo: Matichon

 

A CHILDREN’S DAY event ended badly when an emergency bridge put on show in Satun suddenly malfunctioned sending around 30 children tumbling to the ground with 15 rushed to the hospital, some seriously injured, Matichon newspaper said this afternoon (Jan. 13).

 

The sling of the emergency bridge, from the 45th Engineer Battalion, had suddenly snapped while officials were moving it up and down vertically with this having been performed many times previously and enjoyed by children.

 

The sling suddenly broke when the bridge was two to three metres from the ground with the 30 children plunging down and 15 of them getting seriously injured.

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2024-01-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

Children’s Day Disaster: 44 Kids Injured as Natural Disaster Rescue Vehicle Show Goes Awry in Satun
By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

On January 13th, 2024, Satun local media reported an accident on Children’s Day in the Kuan Don Subdistrict in which officials were performing a show using a natural disaster rescue vehicle. A malfunction on a part of the rescue vehicle caused 44 children to suffer mostly minor injuries.

According to a report by local media, a steel sling snapped while the officials operated a bridge vehicle used for natural disaster rescue operations. Many children were on the vehicle at the time of the unfortunate malfunction.

“44 children suffered minor injuries including back pain, waist pain, and wrist pain after the bridge slammed to the ground. However, 3 children were being closely monitored by physicians after the accident for possible further injuries,” reported Satun media.

 

Full story: THE PATTAYA NEWS 2024-01-15

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

When I was a kid I used to like showbags, ninja turtles, basketball, cap guns. 

Tanks and demonstrations of some crappy "emergency bridge" are not in the realm of childrens activities. 

Hopefully everyone will be ok.

Which off4icial thought for one minute that an Emergency Bridge system is for children to play on or use. Hopefully not a father if so pity his children. Such a senseless accident using equipment designed for vehicles as a childrens toy it seems.

An emergency bridge vehicle caused a natural disaster. Apart from that it was a nice day out spiced up with a bit of drama.

3 hours ago, webfact said:

A CHILDREN’S DAY event ended badly when an emergency bridge put on show in Satun suddenly malfunctioned sending around 30 children tumbling to the ground with 15 rushed to the hospital, some seriously injured, Matichon newspaper said this afternoon

Thai style, from mock emergency to a real emergency...

Safety last Thailand.

Having children riding on an emergency bridging system when it is being deployed.

 

What an insanely stupid idea!

Of course we expected this, afterall thurd world country. 

Their is an whole industry in Health and safety in many countries such as the UK and that industry costs money to run. It will be a long long time before they put children before money

So 44 kids injured or 15?

 

Who did the risk assessment on the emergency bridge operation? 
 

Health and Safety is a very thin veneer here over a majority of functions carried out by people with no foresight or common sense, let alone an appreciation of protection of life or property.

...and now many politicians and others are calling for stricter safety rules....and tomorrow this horrible accident is......forgotten. Business as usual.🙏

47 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Having children riding on an emergency bridging system when it is being deployed.

 

What an insanely stupid idea!

Agreed. I've met some very intelligent Thai people diploma-wise, but I've yet to meet one with an ounce of common sense. This includes my beloved wife.

I can see this extreme ride popping up in a theme park around the country.

Good business model for the hospitals 

49 minutes ago, Colabamumbai said:

Of course we expected this, afterall thurd world country. 

Were you saying third or turd..Or leaving it to our choice..?

15 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

...and now many politicians and others are calling for stricter safety rules....and tomorrow this horrible accident is......forgotten. Business as usual.🙏

What accident….?

41 minutes ago, Asquith Production said:

There is a whole industry in Health and safety in many countries such as the UK and that industry costs money to run. It will be a long long time before they put children before money

Quote from Stellios (Easy jet owner) "If you think safety is expensive try having an accident."

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

An emergency bridge vehicle caused a natural disaster. Apart from that it was a nice day out spiced up with a bit of drama.

What natural disaster? Do you really think they did proper safety inspections prior to using this? Lucky this happened in Thailand. If it was in the USA the parents all would get rich suing the city and the emergency vehicle company. Luckily there were no deaths. What a tragedy to happen on a special day made just for kids to have fun. 

44 children at let's say 35kg = 1,540kg + the weight of 2 adults (picture) at 70kg each 

total of 1,680kg. That's over a ton and half of extra weight for the bridge cable to carry repeatedly.

Maybe outside the tolerances?

Probably not designed to be moved under load.

I'm wondering in what country this bridge was made and where the cable was made, there are many different density cable types, all I can say is all cables (actually the correct term is steel rope) that were fitted to Chinese cranes I worked on in OZ were removed and a better ones fitted. Going by the photo it looks like it was a shear cut, was it rigged through the pulleys correctly before use. How did it end up over the frame? There seems to be a lot of crane cables that break in Thailand.

 

1 hour ago, Reigntax said:

I can see this extreme ride popping up in a theme park around the country.

Good business model for the hospitals 

"Dare you ride the Bridge of Death? Seconds of fun, hours of pain..........no refunds"

It all went according to plan. Excellent demonstration for the children and parents of basic safety issues.

HEADLINE:-

"Children’s Day Disaster: 44 Kids hurt in Emergency Bridge Demo"

 

1ST LINE OF POST:-

"15 children injured during emergency bridge demonstration in Satun"

 

So 29 were feigning injury?  

 

HEADLINE:- "Fifteen children sustained minor injuries"

 

1ST LINE OF POST:- "15 rushed to the hospital, some seriously injured"

 

• 

 

 

 

There's a reason I've always declined cable car rides in Thailand as in China...

2 hours ago, Classic Ray said:

So 44 kids injured or 15?

 

Who did the risk assessment on the emergency bridge operation? 
 

Health and Safety is a very thin veneer here over a majority of functions carried out by people with no foresight or common sense, let alone an appreciation of protection of life or property.

 

"So 44 kids injured or 15?"

 

I share your confusion!

24 minutes ago, sambum said:

 

"So 44 kids injured or 15?"

 

I share your confusion!

According to the BP it was neither, it was 20.  

I don’t see Safety First banners anywhere. Don’t these people know that these banners save lives and are critical in construction environments? 😂😂😂

 45th Engineer Battalion,? So it is an army bridge. This speaks a lot about the efficiency of the Thai armed forces. Where were the regular safety checks on the equipment? Perhaps it's like the floating visitor attraction in Sattahip Bay. Can't afford the spares as is in many military departments. Meanwhile it is top heavy with Generals doing nothing except playing golf maybe. 

A bridge to far.