Health Department Sprays Chemicals at OAG Collapse Site to Combat Flies & Prevent Disease

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has launched an urgent sanitation campaign to eliminate flies and prevent disease at the site of the collapsed Office of the Auditor General (OAG) building. Chemical spraying is being carried out in stagnant water areas and garbage pits, amid concerns about diarrhoea outbreaks and the safety of workers on site.

Following concerns expressed by Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt about public health risks, officers from the BMA’s Health Department were dispatched to the collapse site to manage sanitation hazards, especially the presence of flies which are known carriers of gastrointestinal diseases.

Mr. Krittipat Aramram, a senior public health officer, explained that the heavy rainfall in recent days had created ideal breeding conditions for flies. The insects, which go through four life stages, egg, larva, pupa, and adult, can live for up to 31 days in their mature form. Eggs are often laid in decaying waste or stagnant water, posing a potential health threat to workers and local residents.

To combat the problem, BMA staff are spraying chemical agents in areas where flies are likely to breed, such as puddles and waste disposal zones. The approach involves both larvicidal spraying to destroy eggs and the use of bait laced with toxins to kill adult flies. Officials emphasised that all chemical use is carefully managed to avoid exposure near food preparation zones or active work areas.

Although no health issues have been reported so far among personnel, BMA officers stressed that preventive action is necessary to ensure continued safety.

In addition to insect control, wastewater treatment is also being carried out inside the collapsed building. BMA health teams began operations on 16 April, focusing especially on the flooded basement areas. Hypochlorite disinfectant is being added to contaminated water sources twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday and this routine will continue until the end of May 2025.

Despite weather-related challenges, city officials remain committed to mitigating health risks at the site and ensuring the safety of both staff and the public.

-- 2025-04-17