Ten Injured In Bangkok Billboard Collapse

[george]

Ten injured in billboard collapse

BANGKOK: -- Ten people were injured - two seriously - Wednesday afternoon, after a billboard at the mouth of Soi Sukhumvit 70/4 collapsed during a rainstorm. Uprooted trees and power poles in other areas were also reported.

Bang Na district chief Krit Watcharasiritham said the 4 metre x 24 metre billboard at the mouth of Soi Sukhumvit 70/4 collapsed in gusty winds onto a motorcycle taxi stand and passersby, causing 10 injuries - two were seriously wounded - and the injured were rushed to Bang Na Hospital.

-- The Nation 2007-07-25

[CalicoConsulting]

How does that Wal-Mart ad go? Beware of falling prices...

[realitymanagement]

God you never know whats going to get you next in this city.

[Maejo Man]

After the recent fatality from another falling billboard, the inspection of all other billboards for safety was obviously well carried out by the Bangkok municipality as promised

[lazeeboy]

After the recent fatality from another falling billboard, the inspection of all other billboards for safety was obviously well carried out by the Bangkok municipality as promised

ban these ugly dangerous thing ,haven't seen one that looks remotly safe ,fine the advertisers that dont take there's down ,what happenedto good old newspaper advertising anyway

[charlesfrith]

Sao Paulo in Brazil has banned most outdoor advertising recently.

[Dave3]

And I think that some large billboards are being restricted in some places in/near Manila because of recent problems in strong winds.

[ThaiPauly]

In CM there was suppossed to be a drive to reduce billboards that a survey said was ruining the look of the CIty.

Of course nothing has happened...just seems that more are going up, shame, these things are both ugly and dangerous.

Lets hope that this acts as a "Wake Up" call...but I somehow doubt it will

[khun_j]

oh shiet - again...

hope the injured will recover fully.

i´m normally never for a ban, but this seems to get a little out of hand (thinking how they are put up...)

[george]

Update:

Billboards collapse, injuring 10

BANGKOK: -- Advertising boards collapsed and injured more than 10 people in two accidents during a heavy storm in Bangkok Wednesday afternoon.

Krit Watcharasiritham, Bangna district chief, said a 4x24 metre board in front of Sukhumvit Soi 105 collapsed during the storm, injuring 10 people, two of them seriously. All were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin later inspected the scene of the accident.

In a separate incident, another billboard at the head of Sukhumvit Soi 70/4 collapsed and seriously injured a passer-by. The storm uprooted trees and power poles, and damaged a satellite dish for TV Channel 7.

Governor Apirak said the collapsed billboards were not among the 28 to be demolished within this month at the order of the BMA.

City Hall surveyed the capital's big billboards in Bangkok, blacklisting 28 of them after a giant one fell down in the June 27 storm, killing a woman.

Meanwhile, the BMA flood prevention centre reported that the volume of rainfall in Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon was recorded at 30-40 mm., causing flooding in five areas.

--TNA 2007-07-25

[Plus]

After the recent fatality from another falling billboard, the inspection of all other billboards for safety was obviously well carried out by the Bangkok municipality as promised

ban these ugly dangerous thing ,haven't seen one that looks remotly safe ,fine the advertisers that dont take there's down ,what happenedto good old newspaper advertising anyway

Check out "boycott newspapers" thread in General.

Reinforcing thousands of Bangkok billboards will take months if not years even if the owners cooperate. BMA can only argue with them, they can't fix the boards themselves.

It's pretty much the same with driving habits or vote buying - you need to replace the whole nation to see results, it's useless to try to police people whose concept of what is acceptable is so much different from what is expected.

[mauiguy90]

Update:

Billboards collapse, injuring 10

BANGKOK: -- Advertising boards collapsed and injured more than 10 people in two accidents during a heavy storm in Bangkok Wednesday afternoon.

Krit Watcharasiritham, Bangna district chief, said a 4x24 metre board in front of Sukhumvit Soi 105 collapsed during the storm, injuring 10 people, two of them seriously. All were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin later inspected the scene of the accident.

In a separate incident, another billboard at the head of Sukhumvit Soi 70/4 collapsed and seriously injured a passer-by. The storm uprooted trees and power poles, and damaged a satellite dish for TV Channel 7.

Governor Apirak said the collapsed billboards were not among the 28 to be demolished within this month at the order of the BMA.

City Hall surveyed the capital's big billboards in Bangkok, blacklisting 28 of them after a giant one fell down in the June 27 storm, killing a woman.

Meanwhile, the BMA flood prevention centre reported that the volume of rainfall in Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon was recorded at 30-40 mm., causing flooding in five areas.

--TNA 2007-07-25

Sounds like there is a will but maybe not a way... It appears that the government wants to take action but seemingly does not have the manpower and perhaps the expertise, to check if all billboards are strong enough to withstand severe weather. One of the factors which would increase accountability would be increased liability of the owners of the billboards, as well as the companies who pay for the advertisements. In cases where people are seriously injured, the injured should be able to sue for pain and suffering, as well as lost wages and long term medical care. Increased liability of the responsible persons is the only way gross negligence of this sort will be remedied. Perhaps the newly elected government will address such liability issues with new legislation. (Of course, I am not holding my breath...)

[DMasut]

BUT NOBODY TOLD US WHAT WAS THE ADVERTISEMENT ON THE BILLBOARD!?!?

Geez!!! What kind of Journalism is this?!

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Update:

Billboards collapse, injuring 10

BANGKOK: -- Advertising boards collapsed and injured more than 10 people in two accidents during a heavy storm in Bangkok Wednesday afternoon.

Krit Watcharasiritham, Bangna district chief, said a 4x24 metre board in front of Sukhumvit Soi 105 collapsed during the storm, injuring 10 people, two of them seriously. All were rushed to nearby hospitals.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin later inspected the scene of the accident.

In a separate incident, another billboard at the head of Sukhumvit Soi 70/4 collapsed and seriously injured a passer-by. The storm uprooted trees and power poles, and damaged a satellite dish for TV Channel 7.

Governor Apirak said the collapsed billboards were not among the 28 to be demolished within this month at the order of the BMA.

City Hall surveyed the capital's big billboards in Bangkok, blacklisting 28 of them after a giant one fell down in the June 27 storm, killing a woman.

Meanwhile, the BMA flood prevention centre reported that the volume of rainfall in Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon was recorded at 30-40 mm., causing flooding in five areas.

--TNA 2007-07-25

Sounds like there is a will but maybe not a way... It appears that the government wants to take action but seemingly does not have the manpower and perhaps the expertise, to check if all billboards are strong enough to withstand severe weather. One of the factors which would increase accountability would be increased liability of the owners of the billboards, as well as the companies who pay for the advertisements. In cases where people are seriously injured, the injured should be able to sue for pain and suffering, as well as lost wages and long term medical care. Increased liability of the responsible persons is the only way gross negligence of this sort will be remedied. Perhaps the newly elected government will address such liability issues with new legislation. (Of course, I am not holding my breath...)

Do you mean that the injured can't sue for pain and suffering ?!

[john b good]

After the recent fatality from another falling billboard, the inspection of all other billboards for safety was obviously well carried out by the Bangkok municipality as promised

money speaks louder than words (the money paid in back handers that is)

[charlesfrith]

And I think that some large billboards are being restricted in some places in/near Manila because of recent problems in strong winds.

Sao Paulo is more about urban spam. The skyline is the peoples. Not advertisers. You might be surprised to know i work in adland too

[MaiChai]

My girlfriend tells me there was a really scary storm in Bangkok today, so it does not surprise me. If you live in Thailand dont expect to be cosetted by the government; you need to look after yourself? TiT Seems to me the weather is pretty much screwed up all over world? Global warming means more thunder storms/floods/landslides? Look at the UK at the moment?

[Jimjim]

My girlfriend tells me there was a really scary storm in Bangkok today, so it does not surprise me. If you live in Thailand dont expect to be cosetted by the government; you need to look after yourself? TiT Seems to me the weather is pretty much screwed up all over world? Global warming means more thunder storms/floods/landslides? Look at the UK at the moment?

That's a very poor misunderstanding of global warming.

[backflip]

"My girlfriend tells me there was a really scary storm..."

Still can't read, eh?

[VocalNeal]

BUT NOBODY TOLD US WHAT WAS THE ADVERTISEMENT ON THE BILLBOARD!?!?

Geez!!! What kind of Journalism is this?!

I think this maybe the key. Get the Bangkok govenor to associate the product being advertised with the integrity of the billboard. Then advertisers won't pay unless they are sure the billboard is safe.

As in Singapore the only way to regulate is to hit people (bill board owners) in the wallet/pocketbook. Not necessarily with fines (too much legal process) but with lack of revenue.

[t.s]

Do you mean that the injured can't sue for pain and suffering ?!

not if they cant afford a lawyer.

"the injured" are rarely of a demographic that could either afford or would ever consider turning to the courts for existence.

[ohms931]

I cant believe there is actually a thread on this topic F##k you people lead desperately lonely and sad lives! And I bet none of you even live in Thailand!! pathetic gits!!

[Mid]

I cant believe there is actually a thread on this topic F##k you people lead desperately lonely and sad lives! And I bet none of you even live in Thailand!! pathetic gits!!

mirror , look , in

[toptuan]

The 10K or 20K Baht paid out for the wrongful deaths of innocent victims is far less than the lucrative advertising revenue from these billboards. Usually the victims' families will take the cash payment rather than enter a long and expensive court battle (which they stand a very small chance of winning anyway).

Ergo: Things won't change. BKK "inspections" are mere window-dressing (like government condemnations of deforestation in Chiang Mai, like tightening up bus drivers' credentials, like sounding the alarm about teacher's degrees, etc. The Baht is bigger than the Bark. When it comes to money, unfortunately, Thai society shows its amoral side.)

But for your own safety, when the wind blows, just don't be caught reading one of those 5-story-tall ads.

[Tony Clifton]

Billboard ads are BIG money, lotsa black money paid to government officials. Heck, people have been taken hostage, even murdered because of fierce competition over the billboards or land prospects where one could be installed. A close relative used to deal with billboard permits, that was the worst part of her job because of the black money negotiations.

Parts of some highways here are so cluttered with them that they actually distract drivers concentration away from road signs hanging over or on the side.

When I first moved here, I thought (still do) that all of this ugly looking clutter of business signs and billboards were nothing but an eyesore, so many of them in so little space that they actually sort of cancel each other out. Banks actually have to install their signs up on the roof to distinguish themselves from the clutter down below. They are also the only ones allowed to do so.

Look at older Bangkok photos from the 70's and 80's and it looks so much nicer with less advertisement. Nothing but out of control visual pollution and imminent danger to pedestrians and vehicles down below. Just like the crazy driving habits of drivers on the roads because of lack of law enforcement, the ugly commercial signs have propagated in sort of the same way, chaos caused by the authorities that are in control, or rather, should be in control.

[Plus]

So they send out a public inspector on 7,000 a month salary to shakedown a billboard owner who paid to inspector's boss more than the fellow make in a year. What are his chances of success?

Or if they start digging higher - will the boss return the money?

It's only up to the owners themselves, public pressure on advertisers is also very powerful. I wish newspapers wrote about Sony billboard collapsing or Toyota billboard killing its customers.

Relying on BMA officials is hopeless.

[p_brownstone]

Update:

Billboards collapse, injuring 10

BANGKOK: -- Advertising boards collapsed and injured more than 10 people in two accidents during a heavy storm in Bangkok Wednesday afternoon.

<snip>

Governor Apirak said the collapsed billboards were not among the 28 to be demolished within this month at the order of the BMA.

City Hall surveyed the capital's big billboards in Bangkok, blacklisting 28 of them after a giant one fell down in the June 27 storm, killing a woman.

--TNA 2007-07-25

Well, that's encouraging; extrapolating the Govenors remarks it would seem that both the Billboards which have just collapsed were recently inspected by the BMA and cleared as "safe".

Patrick

[quiksilva]

Billboard ads are BIG money,

Yup to give you an idea BB's in prime locations can cost upwards of Baht 500,000 per month.

[Plus]

Yeah, and here comes Somchai in 300 baht dark blue uniform and 19 baht slippers and orders you to take it down.

[distortedlink]

Apparently this is happening all the time.

I actually saw a board fly into 2 motor cyclists in Chaing Mai about a year ago. I was amazed at the speed these things take off at.

The boards are just a thin piece of ply wood nailed on to a 4 x 2 wooden frame. One strong gust of wind and it`s gone.

An accident waiting to happen.