Citibank Building Elevator Plunges - Three Killed

[george]

Update:

Elevator kills three in 25 floor fall

BANGKOK: -- An elevator being repaired in a Bangkok skyscraper dropped 25 storeys, killing three mechanics at work on its roof and injuring a fourth, police said on Saturday.

Preliminary investigations showed the mechanics were working on the evlevator on the 25th floor of the Saeng Thong Thani building, where Citibank has its Thai headquarters, when it suddenly plunged to the basement, said Major Archawin Boonthamcharoen, of Thung Mahamek police station said.

Witness Kriengkrai Meesaeng said all four mechanics worked for the Hitachi maintenance team.

He said after using a sling to suspend the lift, the three victims were on its roof without safety ropes while the only survivor, Thani Khamhom, was inside.

Ktiendkrai said Thani managed to throw himself out but his right arm was trapped by the falling lift.

Police investigations are continuing.

--The Nation 2006-05-06

[Johpa]

..... I sat with one of my students where she asked me, or rather stated it seemed I didn't like Thai people. I do like Thai people. Some of them are just wonderful, friendly, helpful, warm, inclusive with their activities and show that they want to involve me, and seem genuinely excited when I show up somewhere a foreigner is just not expected to show up. This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example......

Sorry, but despite your best intentions I find your sentiments a bit condescending. I am not sure whether there is much difference, really just two sides of the same coin, between the neo-sahibs amd memsahibs who haughtily laugh at perceived faults of some hapless Thai or those who assume they are going to "lead" the Thais into the promised land. Are you a member of the Hope of Bangkok Church perchance?

I must say I have seen, on the longer distant routes between cities, many a Thai give up a seat on a bus to an elderly person. But yes, I don't see that often a man give up a seat to a non-elderly woman as I don't think that aspect of western chivarly holds much meaning in traditional Thai culture (not Bangkok) where men and women are on a far more equal footing than in the west.

For you others, Monks, whether they be masters of dhamma, or just some thug escaping from the police, are all given the benefit of the doubt when wearing the yellow robes, and are offered seats on public transport. If one can not accept this with complete and total equanimity then perhaps Thailand is not for you. Oh, but excuse me, cheap beer and cheap women make up for that little bit of intrusive behavior.

[edd]

This is so sad for the families.

I was a safety rep for a large company for 18 years in the UK and you would not believe the attitude that some managers had in relation to safety for the workers.

I had powers to enforce safety in the work place given to all safety reps by the government.

I can only imagine what a problem it would be for an ordinary worker in Thailand to try to improve safety procedures.

[jaapfries]

When discussing with my students some of the differences between the Thai culture, and the American culture, the topic was manners. Thai people do not seem to say please, they certainly do not say thank you. A man does not hold a door for a woman, nor let her on the elevator first or anything remotely like it. Rarely am i given a seat on the bus or train by a Thai man, and often a young man will take a seat almost right out from under me. My tone must have seemed bitter, for on the BTS ride home, I sat with one of my students where she asked me, or rather stated it seemed I didn't like Thai people. I do like Thai people. Some of them are just wonderful, friendly, helpful, warm, inclusive with their activities and show that they want to involve me, and seem genuinely excited when I show up somewhere a foreigner is just not expected to show up. This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example. What i see here seems to be people that don't really think much of the Thai, which leads me to wonder why they are here. Is living in Thailand really all about warm weather, cheap services and easy girlfriends? I see bandwagon mentallity of Thai people bashing and wonder what good it does. There is truth behind everything we say. There is no such thing as just kidding. I think the Thai people have to work with whatever they have, which in the past, and to a real extent still, isn't much. I give them credit for being a happy bunch of people considering the available resources offered to them. Remember, the minimum wage is 184 baht a day, having some education would certainly pay more, but they work with what they have, I give them credit for that. Just a thought.

It is the conflict in the individual mind that manifests as war. When individuals change, the society will automatically change.

— Amma

For Heaven's Sake: What ARE You On About ? ? ? ? ?

You wanna know why some of us Farang prefer to live here and not in our native countries ? ? ? Because of people like you, who ramble on about Gosh knows what and- ergo- WHY ? ? ? ? ?

If you're a teacher, I'm glad I'm out of school . . . . . . . . .

[jaapfries]

'Thai mechanics... says it all really.'

Simple, yet oh so accurate.

Funny how a woman brings up the 'not standing for them' stuff, yet they want all the other equal rights. Sometimes sweety you just cannot have your cake and eat it as well.

================================================================

FINALLY, a man who says it the way it is ! ! !

100% agreement from this sailor, Mr. Mawtilus ! ! ! Keep 'em comin' - a breath of fresh air !

Cheers !

[pjallittle]

This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example.

While the above is taken out of context, it nevertheless reflects the typical do-gooder haughtiness of foreigners who attempt to effect change in cultures dissimilar from their own based on their own experience which is, at best, the limited and narrow observation of one person. And that's what we have here, a woman that feels that it's her mission in life to do something for the Thai people

It would be a far better thing to learn something from the Thai people than attempt to impose your culture on them than to set forth all that you find objectionable about them. Your experience is exactly the opposite of my own. Is it just possible that yours has developed because of your own demeanor?

Go back through your posting and read it carefully. It reeks of superiority and the notion that it is only through you that people around the world will come to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. To top it off, you aggrandize yourself by suggesting that you are leading by example. And just who appointed you for this mission?

All that you have accomplished here is to make yourself out to be a person who, by acclamation, has managed to garner redress from most of the readers who, by the way, you also have asserted yourself to being beneath you.

Sorry, teacher, you failed this exam miserably. Pity to the students who you teach and praise for the one who confronted you with reality.

[cuddleypete]

My condolences go out to the families and friends

very sad horrible way to go

[gharknes]

While reading this thread I just can't help thinking of an episode of "only fools and horses" when the wrong chandelier fell to the ground, one wrong bolt undone and....................

[CSX]

When in Rome do as the Romans. I hear people bashing each other on this site. And no doubt someone will flame, slam or bash me also. I would feel left out if they didn't. I've met some cool Thais and Falangs that will help you as well as some if given the chance would stick a knife in your back. (while smiling) People are people where ever you go in this world. As for the elevator incident . It is truly sad that this sort of thing happens. Only the men working on the elevator know if they took short cuts and violated any safety procedures. I know some people might think " screw it ! " It's Thailand. As if that makes a difference. Well, aparantley it does in Thailand. Some Thai's truly care and some Thai's as well as falangs could care less and some Thai's could care even lesser if it was a falang. And the way people talk about the process of government, It makes one wonder how the investigation will go. When in Rome do as the Romans. If you don't like Thailand, Leave! It is interesting when an American wanting to live in Thailand or some other countries cannot own land in his or her name. And that government could care less about them, and would favor the local in a dispute in most cases. When on the other hand the Thai or other nations people go to America they (the foreigner ) recieves special treatment and programs that specifically help them and not the local born American.

The emphasis seems to be on their (the foreigners rights) (legal or not) instead of true equality for all.

You best becareful no matter where you live. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the men involved in the tragedy.

[qualtrough]

Sorry to bring the topic back to elevators, but this is not the first elevator accident here in recent years. A couple years back I saw an article in one of the local papers about an African man who either had his head cut off or was cut in two by an elevator in, I think, Thonburi. I also vaguely recall a similar accident somewhere else in Bangkok.

Never assume that the elevator will be there when the door opens--look first. More than a few people have plummeted to their deaths when the doors opened to an empty shaft. Never assume the doors will bounce back if you squeeze in. If the elevator stops between floors do not try to climb out as it could start up again and cut you in half.

Watch out for escalators too. They can be missing bits of the comb at the edge, and if so will take off your toes or foot in no time. That has happened here too. I saw once such escalator at a department store that was not repaired for over two years. Had a 6 inch section of the comb missing.

Be afraid, be very afraid

[pjallittle]

For those of you who have mocked Thai workers, you may find the following of interest. It shows statistics from a USA governmental source. Work through the links and you'll find that, while rare, these kinds of accidents are not just common to Thailand.

Elevator failures

[Jai Yen Yen]

It seems that most people making comments here do not like Thailand, their problem is they can not go home so they stay here and bitch about EVERYTHING.

Thank you for your inciteful comment, idiot boy.

[Guest endure]

When discussing with my students some of the differences between the Thai culture, and the American culture, the topic was manners. Thai people do not seem to say please, they certainly do not say thank you. A man does not hold a door for a woman, nor let her on the elevator first or anything remotely like it. Rarely am i given a seat on the bus or train by a Thai man, and often a young man will take a seat almost right out from under me. My tone must have seemed bitter, for on the BTS ride home, I sat with one of my students where she asked me, or rather stated it seemed I didn't like Thai people. I do like Thai people. Some of them are just wonderful, friendly, helpful, warm, inclusive with their activities and show that they want to involve me, and seem genuinely excited when I show up somewhere a foreigner is just not expected to show up. This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example.

You were born too late. You've have made a wonderful District Officer in the British Empire teaching the natives 'manners'. It might not have occurred to you but different peoples have different sets of manners. What seems polite to you might be the height of bad manners to a Thai and vice versa.

[TBWG]

Update:

Elevator kills three in 25 floor fall

BANGKOK: -- An elevator being repaired in a Bangkok skyscraper dropped 25 storeys, killing three mechanics at work on its roof and injuring a fourth, police said on Saturday.

Preliminary investigations showed the mechanics were working on the evlevator on the 25th floor of the Saeng Thong Thani building, where Citibank has its Thai headquarters, when it suddenly plunged to the basement, said Major Archawin Boonthamcharoen, of Thung Mahamek police station said.

Witness Kriengkrai Meesaeng said all four mechanics worked for the Hitachi maintenance team.

He said after using a sling to suspend the lift, the three victims were on its roof without safety ropes while the only survivor, Thani Khamhom, was inside.

Ktiendkrai said Thani managed to throw himself out but his right arm was trapped by the falling lift.

Police investigations are continuing.

--The Nation 2006-05-06

Hi

Going back a bit I know, but during the 70's I was staying in a Spanish budget hotel on the Costa's and was amused to see a holiday maker insisiting his family walk up 5 flights of stairs several times a day.

Anyway it turns out that he was an Otis elevator employee and had seen the workings of the hotels lifts and was obviously not impressed.

In this age of health & safety legislation I would like to think that saftey is paramount, but I would not be prepared to out money on it.

TBWG.

[john b good]

Ouch...................

I thought all lifts had automatic braking systems to prevent this happening?

They have had for 25 or more years (perhaps read more than 50 years), however the fact that these guys were tinkering with things, they could have de-activated it. Shit Happens - TIT

From 23 floors it would have been motoring wouldn't it.

[RAZZELL]

much as i am enjoying the debate between the vegetarian buddhist optimist (and her call for better manners and less criticism of our hosts ), and the embittered grouchy cynical expats (with hundreds of years of hands on experience of thailand and its people and their ways between them) . i'll just interrupt for a second to say that itv news has just reported that a snapped cable is probably responsible for the accident.

pictures of resuscitation attempts on a man with a horribly mangled arm were also shown.

At last... a sensible (and funny) post...

[RAZZELL]

When discussing with my students some of the differences between the Thai culture, and the American culture, the topic was manners. Thai people do not seem to say please, they certainly do not say thank you. A man does not hold a door for a woman, nor let her on the elevator first or anything remotely like it. Rarely am i given a seat on the bus or train by a Thai man, and often a young man will take a seat almost right out from under me. My tone must have seemed bitter, for on the BTS ride home, I sat with one of my students where she asked me, or rather stated it seemed I didn't like Thai people. I do like Thai people. Some of them are just wonderful, friendly, helpful, warm, inclusive with their activities and show that they want to involve me, and seem genuinely excited when I show up somewhere a foreigner is just not expected to show up. This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example. What i see here seems to be people that don't really think much of the Thai, which leads me to wonder why they are here. Is living in Thailand really all about warm weather, cheap services and easy girlfriends? I see bandwagon mentallity of Thai people bashing and wonder what good it does. There is truth behind everything we say. There is no such thing as just kidding. I think the Thai people have to work with whatever they have, which in the past, and to a real extent still, isn't much. I give them credit for being a happy bunch of people considering the available resources offered to them. Remember, the minimum wage is 184 baht a day, having some education would certainly pay more, but they work with what they have, I give them credit for that. Just a thought.

I now live in Hong Kong after previously living in Thailand. Getting into and out of an elevator is an everyday necessity of life. LITERALLY. The amount of high-rise buildings here is astonishing. In my apartment building, they are testing the elevator about every 2 weeks.

So this post made me perk up and read. I don't normally see a post that is worth responding to, but I have to both disagree with you gr8fldanielle, and agree with you.

There is no way that the youth of Thailand are less polite than the youth of America, especially if you are going to generalize. The importance of politeness and respect in Thai culture is paramount.

Secondly, you are right, this board is full of a bunch of discontented moaners, who also "seem like they don't like Thai people." Most of which are "privileged in Thai terms.

But it's good for business. George, the owner of the site must be making a mint. You've got a lot of cynical people with nothing better to do in their surplus of spare time, except sit back and be arm chair critics. In turn, creating an enourmous amount of site traffic, in turn generating lots of advertising revenue.

How is this post any more relevant than any other or how effective is it in improving mankind. It's probably isn't.

But I'd rather live in Thailand, than Hong Kong. Safe elevators or not.

And how much money is George making???

[Krub]

A 30 year vegi...bout time you got some meat into you, then you would not have to complain about standing.

My mother is 82 has been a vegetarian for more than 60 of those and doe snot need to sit on city buses.

Get your facts right.

[Diablo Bob]

When discussing with my students some of the differences between the Thai culture, and the American culture, the topic was manners. Thai people do not seem to say please, they certainly do not say thank you. A man does not hold a door for a woman, nor let her on the elevator first or anything remotely like it. Rarely am i given a seat on the bus or train by a Thai man, and often a young man will take a seat almost right out from under me. My tone must have seemed bitter, for on the BTS ride home, I sat with one of my students where she asked me, or rather stated it seemed I didn't like Thai people. I do like Thai people. Some of them are just wonderful, friendly, helpful, warm, inclusive with their activities and show that they want to involve me, and seem genuinely excited when I show up somewhere a foreigner is just not expected to show up. This made me rethink about my projected demeanor and attitude about the Thai people and remember why I am here, to do something for the Thai people I really like. I would like people around the world to think of the Thai people as polite and wonderful people. I have to remember they are who they are and we can only lead by example. What i see here seems to be people that don't really think much of the Thai, which leads me to wonder why they are here. Is living in Thailand really all about warm weather, cheap services and easy girlfriends? I see bandwagon mentallity of Thai people bashing and wonder what good it does. There is truth behind everything we say. There is no such thing as just kidding. I think the Thai people have to work with whatever they have, which in the past, and to a real extent still, isn't much. I give them credit for being a happy bunch of people considering the available resources offered to them. Remember, the minimum wage is 184 baht a day, having some education would certainly pay more, but they work with what they have, I give them credit for that. Just a thought.

I now live in Hong Kong after previously living in Thailand. Getting into and out of an elevator is an everyday necessity of life. LITERALLY. The amount of high-rise buildings here is astonishing. In my apartment building, they are testing the elevator about every 2 weeks.

So this post made me perk up and read. I don't normally see a post that is worth responding to, but I have to both disagree with you gr8fldanielle, and agree with you.

There is no way that the youth of Thailand are less polite than the youth of America, especially if you are going to generalize. The importance of politeness and respect in Thai culture is paramount.

Secondly, you are right, this board is full of a bunch of discontented moaners, who also "seem like they don't like Thai people." Most of which are "privileged in Thai terms.

But it's good for business. George, the owner of the site must be making a mint. You've got a lot of cynical people with nothing better to do in their surplus of spare time, except sit back and be arm chair critics. In turn, creating an enourmous amount of site traffic, in turn generating lots of advertising revenue.

How is this post any more relevant than any other or how effective is it in improving mankind. It's probably isn't.

But I'd rather live in Thailand, than Hong Kong. Safe elevators or not.

And how much money is George making???

Gee....... I would think if I was the owner of the site, I would have member #1 not member #128!

[Pink Mist]

I have been a lift mechanic for 30 years, 20 with Otis. I now run my own lift company here in Oz.

Lets get a few facts here and stop waflling about politics.

1. There still hasn't been a explanation of exactly what they were doing at the time but I am guessing they were re-roping it (replacing ropes)

2. Safety is no 1 in our industry, we dont take or minimise risks, we eliminate them completely having said that people still do take short cuts.

I cant really say anything about the accident, none of the news items posted indicates what repairs were actually being done, the reason I suspect a re-rope is the amount af guys involved and the mention of a sling.

Remember that these Thai Mechanics not only have their own safety in their hands but the passengers as well

Someone mentioned increasing goverment inspectors, well in Oz at the moment the trend is for self regulation, in NSW there are no goverment inspections, the companies self test.

[Boon Mee]

Well, usually re-stringing the wire rope is done off-line so there's absolutely no chance any 'civilians' are in the car when the maintenance is taking place.

Something really screwed up here or the parachute brake woud have taken over...

[Pink Mist]

My reference to passenger safetey was meant to be after the repairs are complete, Boon.

In my 30 years have never seen or heard of prachute brake

[redrus]

AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.................!

Give over you 2...................!

redrus

[zxray]

Elevators work on a counter weight system, making it near impossible for them to fall.

This is backed up with a speed controlled braking system.

There are three to four main cables which would have to be disconnected or broken, and the speed braking would have to be disabled as well.

Thai mechanics... says it all really.

Do you think that elevators in Thailand have all the safety feature we have in the west. They probably have catalytic converters on all there autos also?

Having worked mantaince for large corporations for years, I know that , what ever safety systems were on this elevator, were the minmum required by local law at the time of installation.

Ray

[farang62]

go here

http://science.howstuffworks.com/elevator3.htm

to see how elevators work .

from reading about the safety systems on modern elevators , it would seem that it is impossible for an elevator to plummet down the shaft.

there would have to have been a simultaneous failure of 3 or 4 different safety systems.

Finally some simple answers, how an elevator works.

My thoughts go out to the families and friends of the unfortunate guys that died in this tradgic accident.

After reading the info on Tax's link i cannot see how it fell so far by a simple coincedence that every safety measure failed at the exact same time. There must be some, or alot of human error for this to have happened. This is a Citibank building which i cannot imagine were too cheap to afford a safe elevator. It was not some sh8t 3rd world short time hotel that cuts corners on everything they do.

gr8fldanielle: You have obviously no idea about Thais, I am overwhelmed by the respect Thais have, I agree that not 100% of them are like that but by far most all of them are. get out of the central Tourist areas and you may see a different seen. You sound like a typical, IGNORANT Falang that I have to wonder why you are here in the first place. If anyones Thai bashing here mate, it's YOU.

Once again, My thoughts go out to the friends and family.

[meelousee]

I have a friend that is the GSA for Otis she has said several times that the 'other operators' are not only dangerous but also very corrupt, with that in mind I am not surprised. However, my heart goes out to the families for their loss and the survivor for his loss. \

[Pink Mist]

they will have them, I know Otis have a World Wide Job Site Safety System in place which is implemented in every country where they operate, employees and sub-contarctors alike are bound by it and are constantly audited.

Hitachi have a really good reputation for product design and safety in Asia.

[george]

Update:

Three killed in elevator crash in Sathon Rd

Plummets 25 storeys during maintenance

BANGKOK: -- An elevator in an office building on Sathon road plummeted 25 storeys to the basement yesterday, killing three service staff and injuring two others, Thung Mahamek police said. The incident took place at 12.30pm during a maintenance routine in the 35-storey Sathon Thani building which houses several firms including Citibank.

Noppadol Meesuk, 28, Somjet Sirisuwan, 49, Kittisak Kittpongpittaya, 29, were killed instantly from the impact of the crash, said police.

The men were on the top of the elevator car when it suddenly dropped.

Kiangkrai Meesang, 30, was critically injured with a severed right arm while Thani Thahom, 25, suffered minor injuries.

Mr Kriangkrai was in the elevator, handing over the instruments to his team while Mr Thani was suspending himself on a rope when the elevator plummeted down the shaft.

A security guard in the basement said he heard a loud crash and alerted police and rescue workers.

It took almost two hours to retrieve the bodies.

Police were investigating to determine if the accident resulted from a malfunction or recklessness.

It was reported that the cables were removed and the elevator car was fastened to a pulley during the accident.

Police said Bangkok-Hitachi Elevator Service Co Ltd, which is contracted to provide elevator maintenance services at the building, also took part in the investigation.

--Bangkok Post 2006-05-07

[Pink Mist]

They were re-roping, mistake was removing all ropes, we change them one at a time, still doent explain why the safety gear didnt operate.

[markuk]

no i bet there was nothing wrong with the system or the machinery - its the maniac thai attitude that they can do anything, fix anything, create anything - when in fact this is not the case as is proven now.

Remember the MTR crash and countless other mindless incidents.

They simply refuse to follow instructions or guidelines- over confident - you bet

NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

........don't forget that they think that they can MODIFY anything also.

I'm not convinced that over-confidence is at the bottom of all of this; it's more related to that complex of moral and ethical actions and reactions that the average Thai possesses. Everything has to be 'free and easy' and anything that is in the least bit serious causes eyes to glaze over and thought processes to close down. I've first hand experience of this.

You have hit the nail on the head, they cannot take anything seriously, everything seems to be a big joke most of the time hence these kind of accidents, probably poor supervision and training or the guys were too lazy to go through the correct procedures.