One killed, 10 injured in 'international concert' stage collapse in Thailand

[seajae]

thai and safety standards just dont mix, look at their building scaffold, bits of timber nailed together to hold up concrete slabs, containers falling off trucks because they are not locked down, scaffold joints moving because?, well maybe they just didnt bother to lock them in, easier to pull down when its over. The thai mentallity to safety is a joke, they simply dont care or blame it on some one/thing else, they do whatever is easiest and quickest. If they do not check out the safety of buses for their kids and families what hope is there for strangers at a concert.

[sms747]

Thai people organise, I would have thought that they would have become experts in this, but some of the stuff I've seen has been pretty frightening.

They are experts, probably far less of these incidents here overall than anywhere.

[catinthehat]

The integrity of the stage looks fine to me. It is the overhead network of trusses that support the anciallary equipment such as lighting, TV screens, speakers and the like that came apart due to improper connections or the (lack of) inspection of same during and after installation. With 20 staff working aboe it is all the more important to plan your work, and work your plan!!

And yes, I am an engineer.

And my opinion is not conjecture as I have personally witnessed the poor or lack of inspection and little or no training here cause similar instances. This is one reason why I will not work in Thailand.

Another reason is the "face thing". It is nothing but a shield to hide behind from taking responsibility and accountability for ones actions.

I mention this as there will be no investigation. And the cause even if know and responsibility will be swept under the carpet.

Even if there are laws and codes to prevent this, it's enforcement and resulting punishment which actually makes the system work.

[The Deerhunter]

One thing that always blows my mind about the news you read is that a large majority of people are alive when they arrive at thai hospitals then pass away at the hospital.

I am from Canada, and when things like this happen in Canada or the USA, the doctors are able to keep them alive and list them in 'serious but stable condition', are the medical services here really that bad? To me it seems like most of these people should have a better chance of living it they are injured, wait for someone to call the ambulance (after taking pics and videos of course), transport to the hospital, then have medical care.

Or is the media not saying they would DOA for some reason.

Correct me if I'm wrong

Nah! The medical people have to move away so the police can all get into the picture & take it in turns doing the photogenic things.around the victim.

[The Deerhunter]

thai and safety standards just dont mix, look at their building scaffold, bits of timber nailed together to hold up concrete slabs, containers falling off trucks because they are not locked down, scaffold joints moving because?, well maybe they just didnt bother to lock them in, easier to pull down when its over. The thai mentallity to safety is a joke, they simply dont care or blame it on some one/thing else, they do whatever is easiest and quickest. If they do not check out the safety of buses for their kids and families what hope is there for strangers at a concert.

I have work going on right now involving heights & concrete cutting. I lend tools, extension leads with secure plugs, ladders, saw horses, safety specs, leather gloves, ear muffs, face masks, fans, brooms, wheelbarrow, shovels, levels drills. power saws etc, etc etc.. I keep lists & make sure I get it all back but it is terrible watching staff do work on a site with health or safety hazards, where I am involved, without even the basics for the job. Just look at any building site in south Asia, Africa or the middle east

This morning I watched a guy trying to get filler out of a hex screw by using a large diameter high speed twist drill and a hammer. I lent him a fine point centre punch. Got it back later, no problems.

[seabass69]

Should've used bamboo instead of that farang metal stuff.

[EvilDrSomkid]

This is tragic. My wife has worked with AV system many times and they are very professional.

I do wonder what happened. This kind of thing has happened once or twice with the other lighting companies.

No liability, no accountability, and baht justice. There's your very professional

After talking with my wife about this, she said that not everyone is just as professional. I have seen this, too. If it were Baan Rig doing this, maybe it would bot have happened.

They sometime don't bother with the clips holding the pins in the trussing joints. If you know trussing you know what I mean.

This time they paid for it. Many times these lighting and trussing crews don't bother with safety harnesses either. It does happen a boy falls 10 meters to the concrete floor. Then someone has to go to Isaan and explain to the family why their boy didn't bother to wear the harness (sometimes) provided.

I expected better from AV system. The boss can be a bit of a "hot-head". Hates foreigners...

Because I cannot edit this, I will have to rectify. I do not know the boss of AV system. I had him mixed up with another big boss of a company I shall not name.

According to some people I have talked to, the person who died was crushed by the truss. There was nothing to be done.

This is the worst accident in 30 years in this business in Thailand. Everybody in the lighting business is shocked and saddened by this tragedy. The details are still unclear, but it would seem it is the roof top structure joints that failed. In my estimate this will have consequences. I hope.

Everything will be rebuilt tonight by another crew and the show will go on.

[bushman1666]

"over 20 staff were perched on the concert stage structures to install lighting equipment"

Might be a clue as to why it happened??

I have seen bands with 20 members.

[WhizBang]

"over 20 staff were perched on the concert stage structures to install lighting equipment"

Might be a clue as to why it happened??

My thinking exactly.

[Bpuumike]

This is tragic. My wife has worked with AV system many times and they are very professional.

I do wonder what happened. This kind of thing has happened once or twice with the other lighting companies.

No liability, no accountability, and baht justice. There's your very professional

Very unfortunate but not restricted to Thailand.

2 workers were killed erecting the stage for the last Rolling Stones concert in Spain. As to baht justice, the Stones themselves made the major contributions to the workers' families.

[animatic]

A stage this size MUST be controlled and Q/C checked by a licensed Master Rigger.

That is S.O.P. world wide.

So much weight and so many people will be involved it is mandatory, and sadly too often ignored here in Thailand. But these massive temporary structures are asked to handle great loads and stress and thus a Master Rigger doing calculations and inspecting through out each stage of assembly is not a budgetary luxury.

RIP the dead stage crew person.

[yanyk]

was preparing and still preparing for the concert, how can a good initiative like this start on a bad note....sad and lame.

[SantiSuk]

Here's an example from that other country of notoriously lax construction standards ..... Canada.

(I'm being facetious to emphasise the point that temporary constructions are always going to carry increased risks)

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/questions-linger-after-radiohead-stage-collapse-20120623

Edited March 13, 2014 by SantiSuk

[DisparateDan]

Although i don't know, if anyone does, where/how the failure occured, having despaired at the practice of bolts and nuts being tightened by hammering the wrenches I know that all this does is weaken the security of the closure.

To explain that the thread and sizes are designed to exert an elastic stress to make the fixing secure, and that passing the elastic limit of the material by not using a torque wrench

is dangerous is a waste of time.

I believe I owned one of the few sets of torque wrenches in the country, I left them at the company when I retired, no doubt they are wondering what they are.

[bbbbooboo]

my thoughts to the dead and injured seen a little of this type construction all to temporary not locked in very tightly lots of swaying and creaking going on but hey who would believe it i would

I have been to around 1.000 concerts here with stages like this and can honestly say I have never seen any swaying or creaking, Thais really are not stupid when it comes to putting these things up, accidents really can happen anywhere, even in Thailand!

Sorry but didn't you know Thailand cannot have accidents.

lol....Thailand is the HUB of accidents

[joshstiles]

my thoughts to the dead and injured seen a little of this type construction all to temporary not locked in very tightly lots of swaying and creaking going on but hey who would believe it i would

I have been to around 1.000 concerts here with stages like this and can honestly say I have never seen any swaying or creaking, Thais really are not stupid when it comes to putting these things up, accidents really can happen anywhere, even in Thailand!

Ummm.....yeah, but NO....thai's are stupid.....however if it were thai women doing the work....this would not have happened.

[minikev]

Although i don't know, if anyone does, where/how the failure occured, having despaired at the practice of bolts and nuts being tightened by hammering the wrenches I know that all this does is weaken the security of the closure.

To explain that the thread and sizes are designed to exert an elastic stress to make the fixing secure, and that passing the elastic limit of the material by not using a torque wrench

is dangerous is a waste of time.

I believe I owned one of the few sets of torque wrenches in the country, I left them at the company when I retired, no doubt they are wondering what they are.

Accidents happen everywhere and I can't imagine people using a torque wrench on every bolt in construction in Europe or USA.

My local tyre shop torques up my wheels on every visit!! I am fairly sure he bought his torque wrench from the local tool shop that has them for sale always.

You are having a cheap dig.

I agree some safety standards need to be implemented and supervised to a higher standard than they are here, but I am also sure that the bullshxx health and safety British style laws are not welcome here as they kill small businesses daily.

As you say you don't know how the failure occurred!

Inspection of the clamps etc may not have shown wear etc we will never know.

These frames go up in most towns daily and accidents involving them are rare here.

[EvilDrSomkid]

MTV have now decided to delay the show. Everything will be torn down again. According to one of the people my wife spoke to, the truss frame at the top was not strong enough. The large outside square frame did not have the full cross inside. It bent and fell. They were focussing the lights. The lighting designer was in the middle of the stage when it happened. The structure barely avoided him. Friend of my wife.

[techboy]

my thoughts to the dead and injured seen a little of this type construction all to temporary not locked in very tightly lots of swaying and creaking going on but hey who would believe it i would

I have been to around 1.000 concerts here with stages like this and can honestly say I have never seen any swaying or creaking, Thais really are not stupid when it comes to putting these things up, accidents really can happen anywhere, even in Thailand!

Sorry but didn't you know Thailand cannot have accidents.

You are here aren't you?

[x5david]

"over 20 staff were perched on the concert stage structures to install lighting equipment"

Might be a clue as to why it happened??

Exactly what I was thinking. Was it designed to hold 20+ individuals, probably doing the work of one guy, with 19 or so watching? Also, inviting one or two bands from neighboring countries would hardly seem international. Maybe regional, but again wanting to play something up that probably isn't deserving such attention. Not to mention, using an international name like M TV productions when they aren't related at all.

[sz1a]

blah blah TiT blah blah BiB. Accidents can happen.

[yanyk]

WHO ARE ALL THese BUNGHOLES trying to blame the Thais for ACCIDENTS?? what is the meaning of that word itself??

Edited March 14, 2014 by yanyk

[wilcopops]

One thing that always blows my mind about the news you read is that a large majority of people are alive when they arrive at thai hospitals then pass away at the hospital.

I am from Canada, and when things like this happen in Canada or the USA, the doctors are able to keep them alive and list them in 'serious but stable condition', are the medical services here really that bad? To me it seems like most of these people should have a better chance of living it they are injured, wait for someone to call the ambulance (after taking pics and videos of course), transport to the hospital, then have medical care.

Or is the media not saying they would DOA for some reason.

Correct me if I'm wrong

With serious injures the time teen to get to hospital is crucial or "shock" sets in and the patient is lost.

to this end one needs trained paramedics at the scene and a rapid response ambulance service.....in Thailand's case this is substituted with a bunch of brawling men in pickup tracks..........could there be a clue here?

[hhgz]

" an international music event called MTV Exit Live...unrelated to a US-based music corporation with the same name..."

Using a copyrighted name tried to add legitimacy to an otherwise illegitimate endeavor. It's similar to the Thai company named "Grammy", which is unrelated to the awards given by the US National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

[Yunla]

RIP. My prayers are with the injured and with the family of the deceased, in this very tragic event.

[sms747]

" an international music event called MTV Exit Live...unrelated to a US-based music corporation with the same name..."

Using a copyrighted name tried to add legitimacy to an otherwise illegitimate endeavor. It's similar to the Thai company named "Grammy", which is unrelated to the awards given by the US National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

Apple used a name copywrited by the Beatles, so what, not just a Thai thing is it, does not make such an endeavour 'iilegitimalte'