Chiang Rai Sinkhole 'Stable' After Destroying 8 Homes

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Chiang Rai sinkhole 'stable' after destroying 8 homes

By Varataya Chailangka,

Janjira Pongrai

The Nation

The land subsidence in Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang district appeared to have stabilised yesterday after causing an estimated Bt50 million in property damage and alarming tourists.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suwit Khunkitti ordered the Mineral Resources Department to rush to the scene and inspect the damage.

The chief of the Doi Mae Salong Nok Tambon Administration Organisation said the sinkhole at Santi Khiri Village had not expanded from its dimensions of 85 centimetres deep and 300 metres long.

He said the organisation would have a meeting later in the day about the eight homes that were destroyed and about financial assistance for other victims. Officials might consider demolishing the buildings, as they were unliveable.

He said the news had affected tourism because hundreds of phone calls from tourists had flooded his office expressing safety concerns, but he tried to explain to them that this had only taken place in one small area under his jurisdiction and other areas were still safe to visit.

However, Somkiat Khantheerawong, chief of the provincial tourism industry council, said the Santi Khiri Village sinkhole did not affect tourism because it occurred in only one spot and did not spread to other areas. Tourists understood it was a natural phenomenon as groundwater had eroded soil layers underneath. Since the rain has slackened, it will not happen again, he said.

Doi Slong will be as popular during this high tourism season as always and rooms are 50 per cent booked, he said.

Adichat Surinkham, director of the Environmental Geology Office, said the province had evacuated 10 families as a safety precaution and the Mineral Resources Department would contact provincial public works officials to examine the 100-square-metre spot today for how waterlogged the soil still was.

It is unlikely the depression was caused by a recent magnitude 3 quake with its epicentre in Burma, he said. It likely resulted from the heavy rainfall, the overwhelming build-up of groundwater there and the steep mountain's natural risk of landslides or subsidence.

Doi Mae Slong used to be forestland but then the area was cleared and houses were built on the 30-plus-degree slope above a watershed, so heavy downpours could wash the ground away. What residents could do initially was divert the water away from the houses, he said.

-- The Nation 2010-10-05

[greasemonkey]

The land subsidence in Chiang Rai's Mae Fah Luang district appeared to have stabilised yesterday after causing an estimated Bt50 million in property damage and alarming tourists.[/b]

]

So it didnt alarm the natives at all then?

I've always got his number on speed dial when I visit the Rai, just in case, you know....

Best of luck to those who watched there homes crumble away.

Why do my quotes not work?

Edited October 4, 2010 by greasemonkey

[toybits]

Are you really referring to a Sink hole? That photo looks more like the beginning of a massive landslide.

[Garry]

Are you really referring to a Sink hole? That photo looks more like the beginning of a massive landslide.

Well, one would hope it doesn't turn into a bonafide sink hole

Edited October 5, 2010 by Garry

[toybits]

This is the one in Guatemala, right? Now THAT is a proper sinkhole. Sinkholes occur in places when caverns collapse. This takes place in relatively flat areas. Since Mae Salong is hilly, I would put my money on a landslide than a sinkhole.

Are you really referring to a Sink hole? That photo looks more like the beginning of a massive landslide.

Well, one would hope it doesn't turn into a bonafide sink hole

Edited October 6, 2010 by toybits

[Garry]

This is the one in Guatemala, right? Now THAT is a proper sinkhole. Sinkholes occur in places when caverns collapse. This takes place in relatively flat areas. Since Mae Salong is hilly, I would put my money on a landslide than a sinkhole.

Are you really referring to a Sink hole? That photo looks more like the beginning of a massive landslide.

Well, one would hope it doesn't turn into a bonafide sink hole

That would be the one and I have agree on the landslide, but sinkholes can happen in hilly regions. The ones I know of have been man-made (indirectly). I saw a YouTube video of a sinkhole caused by a broken water main which undermined land on a hill side swallowing very expensive houses.

[Ricardo]

Does anyone know, did the land-slip cause either of the access-roads to be closed, or exactly where it is ? I was planning to go up to Mae Salong shortly. Thanks in-advance !

[davidgtr]

Does anyone know, did the land-slip cause either of the access-roads to be closed, or exactly where it is ? I was planning to go up to Mae Salong shortly. Thanks in-advance !

Opposite the 7-11. The Mae Salong Central Hills Hotel is no more.

I was up there yesterday. The road is ok & not a problem at all - normal!

I've got some photos that I will upload a bit later on.

It's actually not as bad as you think it might be. However if you were the Central Hill owner you would not be saying that.

[davidgtr]

Does anyone know, did the land-slip cause either of the access-roads to be closed, or exactly where it is ? I was planning to go up to Mae Salong shortly. Thanks in-advance !

Opposite the 7-11. The Mae Salong Central Hills Hotel is no more.

I was up there yesterday. The road is ok & not a problem at all - normal!

I've got some photos that I will upload a bit later on.

It's actually not as bad as you think it might be. However if you were the Central Hill owner you would not be saying that.

Some photos

The location straight opposite the 7-11 in DMS

What's left of the Mae Salong Central Hill Hotel

& if you want to know more about Doi Mae Salong

[Ricardo]

Many Thanks for the photos, David, my boys (regular-customers at the 7-11) were goggling at them !