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

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

Must have been related to the falling US Dollar...

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.

A small incentive/under the table commission paid BY a billboard owner to someone working within a company looking for a space (2 -3 years) is around 1 million baht, starting commission. Of course, the employee ends up ripping off the company he works for as they get billed for his under the table deal.

There's a whole underground economy around it, including govt. officials.

Don't be surprised if safety comes last.

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

Why dont us British send some of our excess of claims lawyers over there to start a culture of suing for personal injury...it will only take 1 test case, and perhaps a decent bung to the judiciciary, and these billboard owners will be scurrying to either remove or reinforce their structures

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

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

The governor also said on TV that the billboards were constructed to resist winds between 15-20 km/h which was usual wind strength, but now construction would be beefed up to triple the strength, so it would resist 60 km/h winds.

I strongly believe that 15-20 km/h is about what you get from your Hatari ventilator in your room. Storms are at around 100 km/h.

These billboards will never be safe, there will be always a storm or someting happen that they come down. Therefore there is only one way to resolve the problem. Take them down.

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

well inspectons for sale........................... sorry if you have a moment,...................is it possible to have an election???????

The boards are just a thin piece of ply wood nailed on to a 4 x 2 wooden frame.

Would we be so lucky in Isaan, where they are lashed to dry, splintering, thin round poles hewn from tree branches, about the diameter of a baby's wrist.