Three Killed Falling From Thailand's Highest Building During Billboard Installation

[BarryM]

I have absolutely no sympathy. I see people taking risks here everyday that range from reckless to suicidal.

These were adults who died. It would be racist to ascribe their behaviour to any other factor than they allowed themselves to work in such a reckless manner, endangering people below. This time it went wrong for them. Thanfully no innocent people were injured or killed.

There's no shortage of jobs that provide a good living in Thailand if people work hard. The trouble is workers here rarely pay heed to simple instructions.

[Jim walker]

No method statement No risk assessment No chance

So sorry for the chaps who lost their lives needlessly RIP

[crazydrummerpauly]

Used to be connected to a Health & Safety professional, so took an interest. Even with the legislation in European countries and elsewhere, guys die at work year-in-year-out, especially in construction and farming etc. What stunned me when i first got to Isaan and checked out the guys working at height on demolition and construction was not just that they never wore helmets, gloves or harnesses - far from it - what fazed me was their toughness in working at height smashing reinforced concrete with club-hammers aimed horribly close to bare feet ! I mean, just how hardened do feet have to be to balance and work in contact with rough concrete beams ? Incredible, in a mad way impressive, and absolutely scary.

[Boatman]

This is the same as farangs drinking and driving or not wearing seat belts. "It won't cause ME to crash, I know what I'm doing"

Accidents happen....even in the west.

[IsaanUSA]

Mr Ploenjit admitted that none of them wore any protective sling or belt for their safety, although they did every time before working and did not inspect before the operation whether the platform was in good condition or not.

Holy crap!! Seriously.....unbelievable.

I believe it is completely inappropriate for anyone to make stupid or sarcastic comments.

I come from a country with freedom of speech, so I disagree with this statement.

[TeddyFlyfisherDavis]

Curious as to what their thoughts may have been on the way down...RIP...

[3SoiDogNight]

It really saddens me to read about this. I've been in Baiyoke II on several occasions and stayed there my first time in Thailand. My condolences to their family & friends.

I must say, I really hate that Baiyoke puts these ridiculous advertisements on their building.

The Baiyoke II is a gorgeous building and I hate to see it used as a billboard.

When I stayed in the Baiyoke, my room on the 67th floor was compromised due to some unnecessary advertisement film on the window. It's the same crap used on the BTS train that blocks your view outside. That is a terrible idea in a hotel that boast about being the tallest building in Thailand. People who stay there WANT to see the view.

Not only is the advertisement tacky, but also dangerous to put up.

[PoodMaiDai]

68 floors up and no safety equipment. Darwin strikes again.

However, this would have never happened if they had the same protective tattoos (sak yant / สักยันต์) that so many of the Thais have.

[BarryM]

The Baiyoke II is a gorgeous building and I hate to see it used as a billboard.

Jeez - wher do you live - Kosovo?

[richard_smith237]

Just this morning in my condo I saw my maid cleaning the outside of my windows... However, she was stood inside on a plastic stool with half of her body outside, reaching as far as she could - Why someone would do this and place themselves at such risk is beyond me.

I asked my wife to ask her not to clean the outside of the windows anymore and explain why its dangerous.

I then read this thread... It is such a shame when a tragedy can so easily be averted with the application of a little common sense (in this case, harness, tethered off correctly as simple fall protection).

[PoodMaiDai]

I cannot imagine how or why someone would work at the height of the Baiyoke Tower without a safety harness.

Given our location and the total disrespect for life everywhere you turn, I can understand perfectly.

[jerrysteve]

A 600 Baht fine for the owners. Those owners are lucky to be in Thailand coz if that were to happen in the U.S. there would be massive fines, not to mention a personal injury attorney jumping on that faster than stink of dog poop

[majhiggins]

Seems like a horrible way to go, because of the time to think about what's happpenong but put it in perspective. I guarantee you at least 3 people died in BKK today from massive head trauma in a motorbike accident without a helmet on. Thais die by the thousands each year in survivable accidents simply by not wearing helmets (or wearing those joke helmets that can only protect you from a fine) or not wearing seatbelts.

[BarryM]

68 floors up and no safety equipment. Darwin strikes again.

However, this would have never happened if they had the same protective tattoos (sak yant / สักยันต์) that so many of the Thais have.

I doubt it. My money's on the wrong amulet. That and a total lack of common sense.

[hellodolly]

Used to be connected to a Health & Safety professional, so took an interest. Even with the legislation in European countries and elsewhere, guys die at work year-in-year-out, especially in construction and farming etc. What stunned me when i first got to Isaan and checked out the guys working at height on demolition and construction was not just that they never wore helmets, gloves or harnesses - far from it - what fazed me was their toughness in working at height smashing reinforced concrete with club-hammers aimed horribly close to bare feet ! I mean, just how hardened do feet have to be to balance and work in contact with rough concrete beams ? Incredible, in a mad way impressive, and absolutely scary.

What scares me is the bamboo scaffolding. Maybe I am wrong and it is as safe as regular steel scaffolding. But it looks scary to me over 20 feet.

[unanimosity]

I used to work on radio towers in my youth, 1500 footers, but we always used to say you are just as dead from 100 ft as from 1000 so it doesn't really matter that it was the tallest building around. The lack of precautions during high work was one the first things that struck me when I first came here. It just seems to be a cultural thing, safety is not a high priority throughout the whole society. " up to them".

Safety is not a priority because there is no liability per se and guess who that benefits...not the common man that has little or nothing, but the elite who have plenty to lose, or would have if they were held accountable by liability laws. Nevertheless, the OP is quick to spin the blame onto the victims, God rest their souls. So the victims can be held accountable but the manufacturers of the equipment, especially the cable that snapped, and the building bear no responsibility.

[hellodolly]

Mr Ploenjit admitted that none of them wore any protective sling or belt for their safety, although they did every time before working and did not inspect before the operation whether the platform was in good condition or not.

Holy crap!! Seriously.....unbelievable.

I believe it is completely inappropriate for anyone to make stupid or sarcastic comments.

I come from a country with freedom of speech, so I disagree with this statement.

You only think you come from a country of free speech. Take out ads in the major newspapers saying Obama is a pedophile and see how free it is. It will maybe get you free room and board.

Even if it is free speech it is still inappropriate to make sarcastic remarks about the ones who die in a accident,

[unanimosity]

Used to be connected to a Health & Safety professional, so took an interest. Even with the legislation in European countries and elsewhere, guys die at work year-in-year-out, especially in construction and farming etc. What stunned me when i first got to Isaan and checked out the guys working at height on demolition and construction was not just that they never wore helmets, gloves or harnesses - far from it - what fazed me was their toughness in working at height smashing reinforced concrete with club-hammers aimed horribly close to bare feet ! I mean, just how hardened do feet have to be to balance and work in contact with rough concrete beams ? Incredible, in a mad way impressive, and absolutely scary.

What scares me is the bamboo scaffolding. Maybe I am wrong and it is as safe as regular steel scaffolding. But it looks scary to me over 20 feet.

You use the word scaffolding very loosely.

[unanimosity]

Mr Ploenjit admitted that none of them wore any protective sling or belt for their safety, although they did every time before working and did not inspect before the operation whether the platform was in good condition or not.

Holy crap!! Seriously.....unbelievable.

I believe it is completely inappropriate for anyone to make stupid or sarcastic comments.

I come from a country with freedom of speech, so I disagree with this statement.

You only think you come from a country of free speech. Take out ads in the major newspapers saying Obama is a pedophile and see how free it is. It will maybe get you free room and board.

Even if it is free speech it is still inappropriate to make sarcastic remarks about the ones who die in a accident,

False accusations and outright lies are not free speech. How could anybody not know that?

[balo]

Curious as to what their thoughts may have been on the way down...RIP...

Mai pen Rai

RIP

[unanimosity]

68 floors up and no safety equipment. Darwin strikes again.

However, this would have never happened if they had the same protective tattoos (sak yant / สักยันต์) that so many of the Thais have.

"Darwin strikes again"...priceless.

[cooked]

Bamboo scaffolding is ok.

Let's just hope that Thailand doesn't go the way of the UK where recently police watched a guy die in 50cm of water because they didn't have the needed qualifications to go into water above ankle height. Or where guys working have to wear helmets even if the only thing that may fall on to them is a passing aircraft. ...

[hellodolly]

Bamboo scaffolding is ok.

Let's just hope that Thailand doesn't go the way of the UK where recently police watched a guy die in 50cm of water because they didn't have the needed qualifications to go into water above ankle height. Or where guys working have to wear helmets even if the only thing that may fall on to them is a passing aircraft. ...

Yes I worked in a job that was involved with putting in roads where the only thing that could hit you was bird poo poo or a falling aircraft. Many times we would be required to wear a hard hat, That was in Canada. Some of the restrictions have gotten out of hand for instance they are required to wear a safety vest. That is OK but on most job sites needless but then they went and said you had to have a shirt on under it.

The controlling interests in the west have a mind set different than Thailand they are more interested in quantity of life where here it seems they are not concerned so munch about quantity as they are quality.

And before any one says anything YES there idea of quality is different than yours.

[Hostile17]

where are all the geniuses whining about nanny states controlling everything?

This is a good thing for all thsoe guys. The right to die from your boss' faulty equipement dam_n YOU NANY STATE YOU TOOK OUR RIGHTS AWAY AND EVEN THIRD WORLD THAIS CAN DIE PEACEFULLY FROM THEIR EMPLOYER'S LACK OF CARE.

[PoodMaiDai]

A 600 Baht fine for the owners. Those owners are lucky to be in Thailand coz if that were to happen in the U.S. there would be massive fines, not to mention a personal injury attorney jumping on that faster than stink of dog poop

If 600b is all a Thai life is worth via a work accident (for a Thai company), then it's no wonder they didn't have safety equipment. It's cheaper to just pay the 600b per idiot who's willing to work without any.

[ttelise]

I used to work on radio towers in my youth, 1500 footers, but we always used to say you are just as dead from 100 ft as from 1000 so it doesn't really matter that it was the tallest building around. The lack of precautions during high work was one the first things that struck me when I first came here. It just seems to be a cultural thing, safety is not a high priority throughout the whole society. " up to them".

People knock litigious societies, but that us the trade off. Hitting companies where it hurts, pocketbooks, is a great motivator to ensure safety compliance.

[WannabeOne]

Let's not require any safety equipment. That would cost too much money and, anyway, workers are so cheap.

How many deaths will it take to make people understand that helmets, safety belts, decent shoes (boots), etc. can save lives. Does anybody care?

Unfortunately, in Asia, life is cheap.

If 600b is all a Thai life is worth via a work accident (for a Thai company), then it's no wonder they didn't have safety equipment. It's cheaper to just pay the 600b per idiot who's willing to work without any.

Probably less than that 600 Baht, unfortunately.

[JohnAllan]

I wonder whether this tragedy will give the government the kick in the pants it needs to seriously address the extremely lax approach to safety standards in every facet of Thai life; in particular the building industry, where an oft observed failure to adhere to even minimum acceptable industry standards endangers not just the workers - who are often, themselves, culpable, though largely through ignorance - but innocent passers-by; particularly children, where the scant attention given to safety when working on buildings at locations abutting schools or play areas very often borders on the criminal.

[ayayay]

No full body harness? My company requires full fall protection above 6 feet, much less 66 floors.

TIT - as if it needs to be said..

It actually took 7 posts before someone begun to bash thailand as a country in this thread.

Congratz of being the first thai basher of this thread vahack

[JohnAllan]

I used to work on radio towers in my youth, 1500 footers, but we always used to say you are just as dead from 100 ft as from 1000 so it doesn't really matter that it was the tallest building around. The lack of precautions during high work was one the first things that struck me when I first came here. It just seems to be a cultural thing, safety is not a high priority throughout the whole society. " up to them".

People knock litigious societies, but that us the trade off. Hitting companies where it hurts, pocketbooks, is a great motivator to ensure safety compliance.

Indeed it is. Unfortunately, a hefty penalty levied on a Thai company under the current laws would hardly cover the initial expenses of one US litigator. But, judging by some recent cases, the slow wheels of Thai justice are starting to gather pace.