Thailand-laos Bridge Collapses Over Mekong River

[mffun]

Thailand-Laos Bridge Collapses Over Mekong River, Nation Says

July 23 (Bloomberg) -- Part of a second bridge connecting Thailand to neighboring Laos collapsed into the Mekong River yesterday, the Nation reported, citing police.

A Japanese construction engineer was killed, eight other workers are missing, and seven are injured, the paper said, quoting Pairot Chantim, an inspector at Mukdahan police station.

Witnesses said a crane bent under the weight of a beam, which was then dropped onto the 1,600 meter-long structure, the paper reported. Heavy rain hampered search and rescue efforts.

The 2.5 billion baht ($60.5 million) bridge, financed by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, was 90 percent complete, the paper said.

(The Nation 7-23 p.1.)

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...3JFw&refer=asia

[BaanOz]

Does anyone know where this bridge is located across the Mekong exactly?

Here is the Google Earth location of Mukdahan

Thanks, BaanOz

[mffun]

THAI-LAO BRIDGE MISHAP: Hopes fade for 8 missing workers

Published on July 24, 2005

Divers battle strong currents in bid to locate victims following collapse of a construction crane on Friday

Eight workers were still unaccounted for late yesterday in the strong and muddy currents of the Mekong River more than 24 hours after a section of the Thai-Lao Bridge collapsed on Friday afternoon.

The rescue team, which included five divers, was still searching for the missing men late yesterday but were operating under adverse conditions, facing heavy rains, a strong current and the onset of nightfall. Another 11 workers injured in the incident are still in hospital, one in a coma.

“Under the circumstances, there is little hope left for them [the missing workers],” Police Lt-General Pairoj Janthim of Mukdahan’s Muang District Police Station said.

“If they are now dead it may take three days for the dead bodies to emerge . . . That means the corpses may appear somewhere 30 to 50 kilometres from the collapse site, somewhere between Mukdahan’s Cha-i Nikhom district and Ubon Ratchathani’s Khemmarat district,” he added.

According to an initial official report, of the eight still missing, two are Japanese (Y Tanaka and M Sawada), three are Thai (Sedth Chairob, Cherdsak Inthasen and Thong-on Thongmaha), one Filipino (identified only as “Tom”) and two Laotians (Khunrat Shasamai and Suwin Tippagape).

Of the 11 injured in the accident, two are Japanese (surnamed Okonoki and Yanase), three Thai (Preeda Muangkhrot, Srinual Noiphan and Anond Samphaokaew) and six Laotians (Weerawong, Jansamorn Sriwilai, Kanya, Wiangsamai, Kaew Wanwichai and Kaewudon Phonthida). All are in Mukdahan Hospital except for Kaewudon was sent to Sappasit Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani.

A 100-metre long metal crane used in the bridge’s construction cracked into three pieces on Friday afternoon. The crane had been working between pillars 11 and 12 on the bridge at the deepest part of the Mekong River in Mukdahan’s Muang district. Japanese engineer Hitochi Tanaka was killed instantly.

The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined officially, Mukdahan Deputy Governor Jamlong Phosuk said. He said the construction companies involved in the project are large and would have ensured the safety of the project. The main contractors for the project are the Japanese Sumitomo Company and Thai companies Wijitphan and Siam Sintac.

Lao workers at the construction sites saw things differently. Some of them cast doubts as to the safety measures used by the companies. None of the workers were given life jackets while working directly over the strong currents of the Mekong, one worker said.

A number of Lao workers said they believed the collapse was due to the angry spirits of the Mekong River. They said they had warned engineers to conduct a ceremony apologising to the spirits before setting to work above the deepest part of the river, but their requests were ignored and as a result the river sought vengeance.

One worker mentioned that a large bee’s nest was stuck in pillar 12 and that a similar ritual of apology should have been performed prior to it being taken out. Another worker claimed that he had a dream in which he foresaw the collapse.

Crowds of villagers gathered near the collapse site yesterday but security officials were on guard to keep them at a safe distance.

An official from the Sumitomo Company called for an urgent meeting to discuss the collapse but postponed any further comment until the company holds a press conference, which the official said would be soon.

Jamroon Ruenrom, Mukda-han’s provincial labour officer, said the company told him it would take full responsibility by providing compensation to all those injured in the collapse as well as the relatives of the dead.

All workers had life insurance, he quoted company officials as saying.

Sumalee Phophayak,

Mayuree Akaraban

The Nation

Mukdahan

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2005/07/24...s_18129883.html