Crater In Downtown Bangkok Road Disrupts Traffic, Worries City Officials

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Crater in downtown Bangkok road disrupts traffic, worries city officials

BANGKOK, April 11 - A crater appeared in center city Bangkok’s busy Pathumwan intersection Wednesday morning, with city authorities initially saying the depression was believed to be caused by soil and sand under the road surface moving into a large drainage pipe.

Bangkok Deputy Governor Teerachon Manomaiphibul and drainage, sewerage and public works department officials inspected the section of Phayathai Road between the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Siam Discovery Centre across the street after a section road caved in earlier today.

The hole was initially measured at about one metre deep and one metre wide. However, the busy road was not closed to traffic but city workers cordoned off the area.

The department of drainage and sewerage checked the apparent leakage in the drainage system and the public works department will fix it immediately, the deputy governor said.

To solve the problem in the long term, Bangkok’s 50 districts have been assigned to list sites on the city’s roads which are often repaired to be examined more thoroughly. The issue will be discussed at a BMA meeting next week, Mr Teerachon said.

The crater on Phayathai Road on Wednesday was the fourth road subsidence in less than four weeks after last month, a five metre stretch one metre deep crater appeared on a section of Rama IV near the Thai-Belgium Bridge intersection.

Earlier this month, a section of footpath along Rama III Road caved in, causing a hole three metres long and five metres deep and a hole 50 centimetres wide hole appeared on Charoen Krung Road in front of Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-04-11

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Photos by Thaivisa member

[Scott]

This seems to be happening a little bit too frequently for comfort.

Is something happening or is it coincidental?

[webfact]

A nonsensical /off topic post has been removed

[alexmaniax]

This seems to be happening a little bit too frequently for comfort.

Is something happening or is it coincidental?

there are no "coincidences", I think the wholes are caused by the flood, seems to me???

[webfact]

Sinkhole found on Phaya Thai Road

BANGKOK, 11 April 2012 (NNT) – Another sinkhole was found in Bangkok, the third incident to happen in a month. This time it is in the heart of the city on Phaya Thai Road in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC).

A 1-meter deep and 60-centimeter wide sinkhole was found on the road in front of the BACC, on the opposite of the Siam Discovery Center. Officials have rushed to the scene to find the cause of the collapse. No one was injured from the occurrence.

Authorities are facilitating the traffic in the area while the sinkhole is being inspected. People are suggested to avoid going into the area in order not to worsen the already congested traffic.

Earlier, a five-meter wide and 2-meter deep hole was found near the Thai-Belgian Bridge on March 18, and a 50-meter long sinkhole was found on a footpath on Rama III Road on April 2.

-- NNT 2012-04-11

[KhunVee]

This is a typical result of water erosion from during the flood.

Be careful there people, who knows how many more of those are waiting to .... sink? open? crack?

Yes, sure something to get worried about.

Maybe off topic, and English is only my third language,.... but is the word CRATER not a bit "drama-queen"

crater (krtr)

1.

A bowl-shaped depression at the top of a volcano or at the mouth of a geyser. Volcanic craters can form because of magma explosions in which a large amount of lava is thrown out from a volcano, leaving a hole, or because the roof of rock over an underground magma pool collapses after the magma has flowed away.

2.

A shallow, bowl-shaped depression in a surface, formed by an explosion or by the impact of a body, such as a meteorite.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Edited April 11, 2012 by KhunVee

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PHAYA THAI ROAD

Sinkhole appears at Pathumwan Intersection

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A sinkhole measuring 60 centimetres across and one metre in depth appeared at Bangkok's Pathumwan Intersection near the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre Wednesday morning.

City workers rushed to cordon off the area for inspection, worsening the already bad traffic congestion.

Bangkok Deputy Governor Theerachon Manomaipibul and drainage, sewerage and public works department officials inspected the site, which is on Phayathai Road between the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and Siam Discovery Centre.

The inspection found that the soil and sand under the road surface had seeped into a large drainage pipe, leaving a void, and the constant weight of vehicles passing by resulted in the sinkhole. It was estimated that 4 to 5 more spots in the area might be prone to subsidence as they were along the drainage pipeline, Theerachon said.

The officials would scan the area for more voids while the sinkhole was repaired, he added.

As a long-term solution to the problem, Theerachon also instructed the city’s 50 district offices to examine their roads, especially old and often-repaired thoroughfares. Public works officials should be called for further inspections if any voids were found beneath the roads and repairs should be undertaken before subsidence occurs.

Theerachon said the city officials were currently inspecting 21 risky roads, 12 tunnels and 42 bridges, as a precaution.

The Phayathai Road sinkhole was the fourth road subsidence in less than four weeks. The first one, a five-metre-wide and one-metre-deep sinkhole occurred in the middle of Rama IV near the Thai-Belgium Bridge intersection, occurred last month. Earlier this month, a section of footpath along Rama III Road caved in, causing a hole three metres long and five metres deep and then another 50cm-wide sinkhole occurred on Charoen Krung Road.

-- The Nation 2012-04-11

[Javabear]

The city itelf is sinking, some of it is bound to sink faster than other parts.

[WhizBang]

This is a little worrying, given it's proximity to the BTS support pillars.

[daninthai]

The city itelf is sinking, some of it is bound to sink faster than other parts.

Khao San Road and some other areas are expected to sink down to the level of Hell over the next few days.

[givenall]

Remember, December is not too far off, Creator in Thailand, earthquake in Indian Ocean

Be happy don’t worry

[purushanti]

Yes, December is not far off; neither is August nor April. These are the 3 months when serious earth changes have been said to be more likely to occur. Something having to do with magnetic trimesters. I am not a scientist, so do not have much more to say. There is supposed to be to more probability of these taking place usually in the latter part of each of the 3 months.

Also, it is noteworthy that sinkholes are occurring world-wide, not to discount the frequency in this area.

[Nisa]

This is a little worrying, given it's proximity to the BTS support pillars.

This pillars are not sitting on the ground. They are supported by pilings that go deep underground.

[purushanti]

The city itelf is sinking, some of it is bound to sink faster than other parts.

Khao San Road and some other areas are expected to sink down to the level of Hell over the next few days.

I take that as some kind of a joke, but If I am mistaken, would like to know more. Have many good Isaan firnds in the area.

[mowgus]

Uhhhh...yeah, it's not a crater.... it's a sinkhole. For a second there I thought either a meteor hit or something. And yeah, not surprised after the flood that this kind of thing would happen.

[Nisa]

Kind of a lot of coverage for something the size of a pothole. I remember living in Florida we used to get ones that would swallow entire intersections, houses and vehicles.

[moe666]

It seems more likely broken water mains or drainage pipes rather than the flood as some of these areas where flood free.

[katana]

...Sinkholes also form from human activity...More commonly, sinkholes occur in urban areas due to water main breaks or sewer collapses when old pipes give way. They can also occur from the overpumping and extraction of groundwater and subsurface fluids. They can also form when natural water-drainage patterns are changed and new water-diversion systems are developed...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole

[MEL1]

As a driver, these events becoming more frequent are a big concern to me!

It would appear that the standard of road building from times ago, just looking at some of those shocking pictures, is now showing the short-cuts and cost-cutting shower of exercises that we all know occured back then...... based upon common up to date knowledge.

There is nothing underneath the tarmac/ lack of Thai concrete/ around the sewer inlets and caps, as that's how they were built. So, in reality, any of us driving could get a nasty detour of wheel at any moment.

So could a petrol tanker or any heavy goods vehicle.

This needs to be dealt with very seriously, but the official answer seems to be always, "Well fill it a.s.a.p.... so no congestion!"

One day the whole lot will collapse in... and that won't be pretty.

There is no real investigation happening here, just fill in/cover over/ get the problem forgotten.

I wonder if the guys at the top of Govnt now were the ones who pounded every penny of investment, and are covering their own asses for past gains???????

-mel.

These holes are appearing all over now

[Nisa]

As a driver, these events becoming more frequent are a big concern to me!

It would appear that the standard of road building from times ago, just looking at some of those shocking pictures, is now showing the short-cuts and cost-cutting shower of exercises that we all know occured back then...... based upon common up to date knowledge.

There is nothing underneath the tarmac/ lack of Thai concrete/ around the sewer inlets and caps, as that's how they were built. So, in reality, any of us driving could get a nasty detour of wheel at any moment.

So could a petrol tanker or any heavy goods vehicle.

This needs to be dealt with very seriously, but the official answer seems to be always, "Well fill it a.s.a.p.... so no congestion!"

One day the whole lot will collapse in... and that won't be pretty.

There is no real investigation happening here, just fill in/cover over/ get the problem forgotten.

I wonder if the guys at the top of Govnt now were the ones who pounded every penny of investment, and are covering their own asses for past gains???????

-mel.

These holes are appearing all over now

I personally find there are significantly less potholes, at least in and around Bangkok, than major cities I drive in the US (a fully industrialized nation). I also notice they need a lot less upkeep (repaving, hole filling..) here but that could simply be do to weather (relatively constant temps). The much bigger problem imo is for pedestrians, on the older roads, because it seems all the sewers run under the sidewalk parallel to the road and there is an inherent problem with using concrete for the openings (what would be man hole covers in the west) as they are always going to start crumbling when they constantly remove and replace them throughout the year to clean the sewers.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Nisa

[zakk9]

Bangkok is built on a sump, more or less. I doubt that anybody have full control over water flows under the city. The flood last year may also have forced water to find new routes.

[JAG]

Why not take "the thing" on the corner of Wireless Rd, next to the side entrance to The British Embassy, and use it to plug the hole? It looks about the right size!

[bdenner]

Looking at the patch in the tarmac it's blatantly obvious something has gone wrong there in the recent past and CHEAP band-aide solution did not work.

[PoodMaiDai]

Flooding causes holes. Poorly poured concrete causes weak concrete.

Thread closed.

[carra]

A few things, we are not in Florida so the fact that entire junctions sink has no relevance here so I don't know why people contsyantly bring up that things also happen elsewhere, I think we all know things also happen elsewhere.

As for the past few holes in Bangkok, neither are in flood affected areas although I guess the drains below the road could have been full, but then again they are full every time we have a downpur

[webfact]

SINKHOLE

Fourth sinkhole appears at Pathumwan Intersection

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A 60-centimetre wide and metre deep sinkhole appeared at Pathumwan intersection near the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre yesterday morning.

City workers have cordoned off the area for inspection, worsening the already bad traffic congestion.

Bangkok Deputy Governor Theerachon Manomaipibul as well as officials from the Drainage, Sewerage and Public Works Department inspected the site between the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre and the Siam Discovery shopping mall.

Inspection found that the soil and sand under the road surface had seeped into a large drainage pipe, leaving a void, and the constant weight of vehicles had resulted in the sinkhole. It is estimated that four or five more spots in the area might be prone to subsidence as they are along the drainage system, Theerachon said.

Officials will scan the area for more voids while the sinkhole is being repaired, he added.

As a long-term solution, Theerachon has also instructed Bangkok's 50 district offices to examine key roads in their areas, especially old and often repaired ones. Public works officials should be called upon for further inspection if any voids are found beneath the roads and repairs should be done before the subsidence occurs.

Theerachon added that city officials were in the process of inspecting 21 roads, 12 tunnels and 42 bridges.

The Pathumwan intersection sinkhole is the fourth to occur in less than four weeks. The first, a 5-metre-wide and 1m deep sinkhole, occurred last month in the middle of Rama IV Road near the Thai-Belgium Bridge. Earlier this month, a section of the footpath along Rama III Road caved in, causing a 3m-wide and 5m-deep hole, while another 50cm-wide sinkhole occurred on Charoen Krung Road.

-- The Nation 2012-04-12

[Thai at Heart]

Photos by Thaivisa member

That looks like an old manhole that someone has attempted to patch

[edwinchester]

A thai friend of wifey works in one of the larger water offices. During the flooding crisis last year we talked about the situation and he said a longterm effect will be damage to the drainage system handling all of the extra runoff as it's poorly maintained.

[khunron13]

This seems to be happening a little bit too frequently for comfort.

Is something happening or is it coincidental?

there are no "coincidences", I think the wholes are caused by the flood, seems to me???

How could the "wholes" be caused by the floods, when there were no floods in that area, nor in Sathorn/Rama IV where the first "whole" occured?