Ayutthaya Suspension Bridge Accident: Officials Failed To Act Quickly

[webfact]

ACCIDENT
Ayutthaya officials 'failed to act quickly'
The Nation



Suspension bridge was damaged and tilting, but remained open

AYUTTHAYA: -- An initial probe into the Ayutthaya suspension bridge collapse on Sunday - that crushed four people to death and injured 10 others - has found that one sling had been torn previously and the pillars were in a deteriorated condition.

There are more than 10 bridges of similar design in Ayutthaya, and officials said they would check them to ensure their safety and prevent a similar tragedy.

Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, who inspected the bridge yesterday, said it was initially suspected the metal rings that wrapped around the slings were loose and unable to support the bridge weight.

He said the province had assigned a fact-finding committee, led by a provincial prosecutor, to probe the case within 15 days.

He said he would discuss the issue at an upcoming meeting of provincial governors to ensure their suspension bridges were all safe and secure, while also strictly prohibiting cars and trucks from using them.

Charupong was also told the 2.2-metre-wide, 110-metre-long bridge in Tambon Than Luang in Tha Reu district was built for Bt8.2 million, according to an Ayutthaya Public Works and Town and Country Planning Office plan. It was constructed by D Nice (2009) Co Ltd and completed on July 16, 2012.

Charupong said the Interior Ministry would initially assist each family of those killed with Bt25,000 plus Charupong's own donation of Bt2,000 per family. The injured would initially be paid Bt3,000. He said the authorities should demolish the collapsed bridge, then rebuild it promptly, as thousands of people used it on a daily basis.

As of press time, Saraburi army base had sent 100 soldiers to remove concrete debris in the river to clear a water transport passage, which should be completed in 2-3 days.

Charupong said a person reported as missing, Preecha Boonprasert, had been located in Saraburi.

Ayutthaya officials said the four people killed were Piriya Seusaming, 10, Kesinee Chabasi, 54, Natthawut Jaijong, 24, and Samart Yanpanya, 34.

Two injured people were treated at Ban Mor Hospital and eight others at Tha Reu Hospital. Ten motorcycles fell into the river during the drama.

Tambon Tha Luang Munici-pality Mayor Chettha Pathum-rangsi apologised for what happened and promised to aid those wounded and families of the dead.

Assistant National Police Chief Jaramporn Suramanee and a forensic police team inspected the collapsed bridge for over an hour yesterday.

He said police would work with the Engineering Institute of Thailand on the probe into the bridge's structure and material standards as well as maintenance.

The bridge had been repaired four times and the municipality urged the contractor on April 22 to repair the bridge again, but it collapsed first.



BRIDGE OVERLOADED

Police would also probe public use of the bridge and if there were overloaded trucks passing over it, despite warnings. They will also investigate why local officials didn't warn the public, despite claims the bridge was slanting.

Villager Pranee Khongwichai, 47, said a month ago a pick-up truck used the bridge, which was meant only for pedestrians and motorcycles, leading to its tilting.

Then a monks' ordination parade passed over it, during which the bridge creaked loudly and slanted by 30cm before it was closed for repair. She claimed the bridge also subsided on April 26, prior to the collapse. The previous bridge - a metal structure with steady pillars - was a good one, she lamented.

Moo 5 village headman Suwan Saisamut said the old bridge's concrete pillars had deteriorated due to boats hitting them and it was rebuilt as a suspension bridge last year.

He said he had urged municipal officials a week earlier to inspect the slanting bridge and the municipality was about to place a sign to close it, but it collapsed first.

Patcharin Jaijong, whose nephew Natthawut died, called for more assistance money for affected families and a speedy investigation as they still needed to use the crossing.


-- The Nation 2013-04-30

[PoodMaiDai]

Suspension bridge was damaged and tilting, but remained open

I know the first thing I think about when I see a damaged, tilting bridge, is walking across it. Because I know that if I have on enough amulets, I'll be safe.

[Thai at Heart]

Oooops. Who let this story out?

[Pimay1]

Maybe I am reading this wrong but the new bridge was completed in July 2012 and had to be repaired four times in the next nine months with the fifth repair pending. I wonder if this is the same contractor that resurfaces these roads here in Esaan and within two months they are falling apart.

[tominbkk]

A year and a half old bridge breaks apart. It cost 80 million Baht to make.

[retell]

Maybe I am reading this wrong but the new bridge was completed in July 2012 and had to be repaired four times in the next nine months with the fifth repair pending. I wonder if this is the same contractor that resurfaces these roads here in Esaan and within two months they are falling apart.

no, that is just big money for your village chief got paid for full repair but only throw in a few buckets of cement

Edited April 30, 2013 by retell

[retell]

if they know the bridge was damaged and tilting why do they even keep it open

logic as far as that goes here would suggest close the whole contraption

and not wait till it breaks down and than fix

and how can there be pick-up trucks on a pedestrian bridge they never heard of small metal poles ?

[doremifasol]

My God, they are so pathetic!!!!!! They can screw up a cup of coffee.

I am so sorry for the victims.

[jbrain]

A year and a half old bridge breaks apart. It cost 80 million Baht to make.

I don't know wher you read this, but I read in the OP that the bridge was 9 months old and costed 8.2 million

[cup-O-coffee]

It compells one to ponder the intelligence of the mind of another. The bridge is slanted but the users of that brisdge cry that they were not warned. The police are at the bridge every day, but they now want to probe.

It really smacks of truth when I remember one of my favorite sayings about Thailand; "There is no emergency or crisis in Thailand until it happens". It really is bearing a lot of truth. They do not do anything until something happens that is inconvenient (to say the least) for them; and then it usually involves blame, using the most amazingly idiotic and imbecilic reasons possible.

Are these the same people that never make the bus and minivan drivers slow down, but sit there and smile at the mad ride? Are these the same people who pull out into the road without even looking once in any direction other than ahead? Are these the same people who turn their feral children loose on society and take no ownership and responsibilities for the consequences? These certainly are the same people who never ever once complained or showed any concerns about a bridge they were using; a bridge that showed all the signs of impending collapse that would make any Western engineer cringe, and yet they did nothing until it happened. They used it. They did not complain. They did not forbid trucks being on it. It is the people's fault just as much as the elected officials and the police' fault for doing nothing until it happened.

It compells one to ponder the intelligence of the mind of another.

Edited April 30, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[wackysleet]

Welcome to Amazing Thailand. The Amazing thing alludes as to why anyone would be amazed at the things that happen here.

[allan michaud]

I am confused, yesterday it was a 30 year old bridge, now its seems it was just 11 months old and had been repaired 4 times already and was due to be repaired again when it collapsed???

By the way, if you want to stop 4 wheeled vehicles using it you put up concrete bollards at either end. Cheap and simple. At least that's what they do with the 2 small suspension bridges I have seen here in Cambodia.

Amazing Thailand.

[allan michaud]

A year and a half old bridge breaks apart. It cost 80 million Baht to make.

Try your glasses, it clearly says it cost Baht8.2m and was 9 months old.

[oops]

Maybe I am reading this wrong but the new bridge was completed in July 2012 and had to be repaired four times in the next nine months with the fifth repair pending. I wonder if this is the same contractor that resurfaces these roads here in Esaan and within two months they are falling apart.

It's called job security.....GEEEZE where do these people come from. If they don't do it right the first time they get paid to come back and do it a second time, and a third time.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I am confused, yesterday it was a 30 year old bridge, now its seems it was just 11 months old and had been repaired 4 times already and was due to be repaired again when it collapsed???

By the way, if you want to stop 4 wheeled vehicles using it you put up concrete bollards at either end. Cheap and simple. At least that's what they do with the 2 small suspension bridges I have seen here in Cambodia.

Amazing Thailand.

It seems there was a prior, more sturdy bridge that was replaced last year by the apparently cheap, poorly built one that immediately needed repeated repairs prior to its ultimate collapse.

The previous bridge - a metal structure with steady pillars - was a good one, she lamented.

Moo 5 village headman Suwan Saisamut said the old bridge's concrete pillars had deteriorated due to boats hitting them and it was rebuilt as a suspension bridge last year.

[WhizBang]

Once again, we are reminded that safety does not even enter the minds of Thais.

This was a new bridge, less than a year old? Good god, who designed and then who certified it?

Isn't it time SOMEBODY was held accountable for this kind of crap?

Amazing Thailand, indeed.

[lee b]

Think the contractors who were involved in making this should go back to school and re-learn the trade again !

[XINLOI]

9 months old, with 4 repairs in the bag? Seems like the contractor who built it should be held accountable, but this is common practice in the Thai building arena. Use the shoddiest of materials, use laborers that know nothing of the skills they profess to be offering and that 8 million went into someone's pocket, knowing full well the result. How much of the infrastructure ( homes, commercial buildings, hi-rise buildings roads, bridges etc, are built this way? All of them.........actually!

[chainarong]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

[animatic]

...Charupong was also told the 2.2-metre-wide, 110-metre-long bridge in Tambon Than Luang in Tha Reu district was built for Bt8.2 million, according to an Ayutthaya Public Works and Town and Country Planning Office plan. It was constructed by D Nice (2009) Co Ltd and completed on July 16, 2012....

It was constructed by D Nice (2009) Co Ltd and completed on July 16, 2012

Took them 3 years to build it...

It didn't last a year from completion....

FOLLOW THE MONEY....

[monty1412]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

I dont actually think their is a thai equivalent word that conveys immediacy or urgency

[LuckyLew]

Awful story from start to finish

Sounds like shoddy workmanship on the bridge, cutting corners by keeping the old pillars

Then no one to stop people using the bridge when it was slanting

A life worth 25K Thai Baht, but kudos to the Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan for kicking in an extra 2K., lol

In my book that is a slap in the face

How these people sleep at night is beyond me

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

No conscience. No problem.

Funds neatly deposited away in the bank (or under the mattress, etc etc.)

As for those on the bridge, they're already dead. So no problem there (from the perspective of those responsible for this mess).

[Pimay1]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

In all my years here I have seen two instances where Thais act quickly. And I am not Thai bashing, just making an observation.

1. Call to drink whiskey

2. Call to eat

[HarryMilton]

A year and a half old bridge breaks apart. It cost 80 million Baht to make.

Actually a ten month old bridge.

[HarryMilton]

...Charupong was also told the 2.2-metre-wide, 110-metre-long bridge in Tambon Than Luang in Tha Reu district was built for Bt8.2 million, according to an Ayutthaya Public Works and Town and Country Planning Office plan. It was constructed by D Nice (2009) Co Ltd and completed on July 16, 2012....

It was constructed by D Nice (2009) Co Ltd and completed on July 16, 2012

Took them 3 years to build it...

It didn't last a year from completion....

FOLLOW THE MONEY....

"D Nice (2009) Co Ltd" is the name of the company, not the date construction started.

[tomyummer]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

In all my years here I have seen two instances where Thais act quickly. And I am not Thai bashing, just making an observation.

1. Call to drink whiskey

2. Call to eat

3. Call to look at a gruesome crime site, crash or accident

4. Call to get free handouts at product promotions

[retell]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

leo leo

Edited April 30, 2013 by retell

[AleG]

9 months old, with 4 repairs in the bag? Seems like the contractor who built it should be held accountable, but this is common practice in the Thai building arena. Use the shoddiest of materials, use laborers that know nothing of the skills they profess to be offering and that 8 million went into someone's pocket, knowing full well the result. How much of the infrastructure ( homes, commercial buildings, hi-rise buildings roads, bridges etc, are built this way? All of them.........actually!

Of course it's possible that the contractor cut corners or there was a deficiency in the design or construction, but any structure fails if loaded beyond its design parameters. A pickup truck (and you know how they overload those here) crossing a pedestrian suspension bridge is insane so I wouldn't automatically assume the contractor is at fault here.

[canuckamuck]

Can I have an interpretation of the Thai equivalent of the word Quickly

Is this a trick question? Wouldn't the answer be 'quickly' ?