Pathum Thani building collapse kills 3, traps 7

[Sakeopete]

 

These sites are totally f***ked.....slum living conditions....the cheapest of materials....and no-one in charge that has any idea of what's required to build a building safely.....everything they do on these so called "condo" projects is crap...we all see it every day!

God help Thailand if the authorities ever decide to enforce the rules!!!

Well summed up.

 

The problem is cheap labour and poor if any skills.

 

I have yet to see a building inspector in Thailand.

 

Nothing in the country is built properly or designed to last.

 

The only country I have seen where things are even worse is India.

 

Don't forget the apartment building in China that collapsed it had hollow support structures to save money.

[MrBrad]

...Very sad...  The workers should really have some kind of union to protect them. Perhaps they should all go on strike until safety concerns are standardized and enforced. Accidents will always happen... but buildings do not fall down by accident. 

 

 

 

If the workers were all to go on strike for the months or longer that it would take to enact and enforce proper safety standards, I'm thinking that many of them and their families would die of starvation while waiting for safe working conditions. 

 

Surely nobody would have been on this site if they had known that it was going to collapse.  In this case, however, they gambled that everything was in order, and they went about their work without a single thought for their safety, most likely. They needed the job and the meager income it provided.  This is certainly one of the main reasons why little or nothing changes in these situations. 

[Local Drunk]

"They needed the job and the meager income it provided.  This is certainly one of the main reasons why little or nothing changes in these situations."

 

I completely understand where you are coming from, but until these workers have a unified voice; hence a say in their working conditions, then little or nothing will ever change. 

 

 

[tigermoth]

These sites are totally f***ked.....slum living conditions....the cheapest of materials....and no-one in charge that has any idea of what's required to build a building safely.....everything they do on these so called "condo" projects is crap...we all see it every day!
God help Thailand if the authorities ever decide to enforce the rules!!!

Well summed up.
 
The problem is cheap labour and poor if any skills.
 
I have yet to see a building inspector in Thailand.
 
Nothing in the country is built properly or designed to last.
 
The only country I have seen where things are even worse is India.

It is as above but has a deeper cause.

1. Cheap labour and poor skills - There is no apprenticeship system so that people can learn the skills and therefore people are hired with nil experience or understanding of the necessary skills involved and hence work for zip wages. Boils down to EDUCATION.

2. The authorities have little to do with it. It begins at the top.

3. The developer doesn't give a shit for the people just the amount of money he can make. He pays lip service to quality and wants the cheapest price he can get. His staff are generally young and inexperienced and overpaid and try to look and sound important without actually doing anything.

4. The consultants. The consulting firms basically know their job but there is almost no follow up by the staff and those that do are not experienced and don't know what to look for. Just look at the ads for staff. "Experienced persons required. Minimum 1 to 2 years experience required" ???? Again all about making money.

5. The Contractor. Has to submit the lowest price he can to get the job and make a big profit for himself hence underpaid and inexperienced staff. Most of the work is not actually done by the contractor but sub let out to other companies, again the lowest price getting the nod and no one taking any responsibilty for the end product.

If one delved into the construction industry a huge corruption and mafia style system could be found. This goes all the way to the government authorities. As one of the Appollo astronauts replied what was his greatest concern before going into space - "This spacecraft was built by the lowest tenderer"

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Search continues for survivors at caved-in condominium building



PATHUM THANI: -- Sniffer dogs of the military were brought in today (Tuesday) to help in the search and rescue of nine workers who are believed to be still trapped under tonnes of concrete slabs and rubbles from the collapsed condominium building in Klong Luang district of Pathum Thani.

Cranes and other heavy equipments have been deployed as rescue workers have been trying to help at least two survivors trapped underneath. Search and rescue workers have detected signs of at least two survivors and tubes carrying saline water have been inserted into gaps at the spots where signs of survivors have been detected.

Death toll from the collapse of the U Guest Condo condominium building which was under construction has been officially put at two with 18 injured who have received treatments at hospitals.

Mr Suchutvee Suwansawat, president of the Thai Engineering Institute, cited three possible causes of the cave-in of the building: bad design, substandard construction materials and substandard construction procedure.

Members of the public have been banned from getting close to the collapsed building for fear that their movements may endanger those who are still trapped.

Engineers supervising the condominium project will be asked to file a report of the construction work in the week before the incident to the Thai Engineering Institute and only then that it can be determined more accurately what was the real cause of the collapse of the building.
 

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/search-continues-survivors-caved-condominium-building/

 

[thaipbs]2014-08-12[/thaipbs]

[kerrysum]

So tell me what hasn't happened in Thailand, been this way for years. Cheap labor, and unskilled workers, sell, sell, sell. Pretty on the outside, weak on the inside. Oh well, what can I say!

[Zeegator]

 

 

These sites are totally <deleted>.....slum living conditions....the cheapest of materials....and no-one in charge that has any idea of what's required to build a building safely.....everything they do on these so called "condo" projects is crap...we all see it every day!

God help Thailand if the authorities ever decide to enforce the rules!!!

 

What is a "so called" condo project, is there a difference between a condo and a so called condo?
 

 

 

Stupid question....but anyway, I'll play your game....
Go and have a look inside one these buildings....you'll very soon realise that what they call "condos" are nothing more than a very small room with a tiny crapper room.......something they can cram as many people in as possible.

 

 

Stupid answer.  A condo is a condo whatever size it is, whether it's a "so called condo" or any other kind of condo.
 

[webfact]

UPDATE:

Rescue continues for building collapse victims
By Digital Content



PATHUM THANI, Aug 12 -- Rescue workers are searching to help an unknown number of construction workers trapped in a building that collapsed in Pathum Thani yesterday, while executives of the Engineering Institute of Thailand inspected the scene to find out the cause of the collapse.

Three people were confirmed dead in the tragedy of the six-storey condominium in Khlong Hok sub-district of Khlong Luang district.

Two of the dead were identified as a migrant mother and her child and the other succumbed to his wounds under a beam at about 9.45am today.

Twenty-four people were injured, mostly migrant workers.

Rescue work continued all night long but was slow because workers lacked heavy equipment to break through the huge concrete rubble.

The authorities have not yet found the engineer responsible for the construction of the building.

They initially assumed poured cement on the 6th floor of the building caused its collapse.

Suchatchawee Suwannasawat and Siriwat Chaichana, president and secretary-general respectively of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, inspected the debris this morning to determine the cause.

Dr Narong Tangtrongpairote, Pathum Thani health chief, said the injured were treated at Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, Khlong Luang and Thammasat Chalermprakiat Hospitals. Some are severely injured.

A delegation led by Dr Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary for public health, will also inspect the scene.

Rescue workers believe many people remain trapped under the rubble. (MCOT online news)

[tna]2014-08-12[/tna]

[Jay Sata]

It appears other share my views on construction in Thailand.

 

 

 

Mr Suchutvee Suwansawat, president of the Thai Engineering Institute, cited three possible causes of the cave-in of the building: bad design, substandard construction materials and substandard construction procedure.

It appears a substantial number of the construction workers were migrants.

 

No doubt poorly paid and lacking quality building skills.

 

For those who dispute my views on Thai construction quality just take a look at how badly made the concrete drain covers are in the average pavement. It is hard to walk anywhere in Thailand without seeing shoddy concrete work.

 

It is a marvelous material and given the correct procedures and skills can look quite attractive. 

 

 

[Always18]

I thought that these appalling, but regularly occurring, tragedies were usually the fault of an "unhappy spirit" which could best be placated by some ritualistic mumbo-jumbo?

[Deacon Bell]

RIP, fellow humans. 

[Strangebrew]

My heart goes out to those who's lives were lost, But in Thailand this too will be forgotten in a few days. I seen how they build here bamboo scaffolding workers running around site in flipflops. Most of them so poorly paid that they eat sleep and do there duty on the site. While the fat cat contractor is waited on hand and foot. Safety There Idea of safety is don't get hurt if you do no pay for you. I hired a Thai to fix something at my condo.Scared the crap out of me the way he did it. It was My A/C he tied a rope around his waist and lowered himself to A/C tied off A/c hauled up to roof fixed it then put it back in. Only thing rope was tied to was an old tire.

[webfact]

Updated death toll of the building collapse in Pathum Thani is three including one passing away under rubble this morning. 24 others were injured and rescued. /Bangkok Post

[mercman24]

i often wonder about these condos who have a pool on the roof, must weigh tons, perhaps one of you boffins on here could actually calculate the weight ? i know when i had my 2 foot fish tank that weighed and arm and a leg and was only half full ? should be interesting ? and i am about to move into one ?? condo or fish tank,? same same  he he

[Rorri]

Sparkles, on 12 Aug 2014 - 10:56, said:

 

Jay Sata, on 11 Aug 2014 - 21:53, said:

 

ChrisY1, on 11 Aug 2014 - 21:23, said:

These sites are totally <deleted>.....slum living conditions....the cheapest of materials....and no-one in charge that has any idea of what's required to build a building safely.....everything they do on these so called "condo" projects is crap...we all see it every day!

God help Thailand if the authorities ever decide to enforce the rules!!!

Well summed up.

 

The problem is cheap labour and poor if any skills.

 

I have yet to see a building inspector in Thailand.

 

Nothing in the country is built properly or designed to last.

 

The only country I have seen where things are even worse is India.

 

Simply not true.How many 1000's of high rise buildings are there in the city of Bangkok and have been for decades?

 

One building collapses,for reasons we do not know, and they are all bad...yeah right.............Stupid,ill informed comment.

 

1000's, maybe a sleight exaggeration, but first you need to look at who was supervising the construction, you might be surprised to know that most, is not all where using foreign engineers and supervisors, not the local village "experts." I think, looking at the video, the concrete supports seem rather think and also suspect there was no structural testing of the concrete.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

UPDATE:

Search continues for survivors at caved-in condominium building

Mr Suchutvee Suwansawat, president of the Thai Engineering Institute, cited three possible causes of the cave-in of the building: bad design, substandard construction materials and substandard construction procedure.

 

Really have to wonder about these things, since the comment above clearly neglected to mention the three most common stated causes of such incidents here:

 

1. malevolent ghosts

2. workers failing to wear their lucky amulets

3. the boss used the money instead to buy a car for his mia noi

 

 

[bdenner]

I'm no construction engineer but looking at some of these overhead photos and seeing how the columns have been torn away from the foundations is a real concern.

Maybe typical Isaan elchepo installation using bamboo rather than quality steel reinforcement.

 

OK, joking, sorry, but those columns look skinny to me! If I were a tenant I would be vacating the similar structures ASAP.

[peecee]

 

These sites are totally f***ked.....slum living conditions....the cheapest of materials....and no-one in charge that has any idea of what's required to build a building safely.....everything they do on these so called "condo" projects is crap...we all see it every day!

God help Thailand if the authorities ever decide to enforce the rules!!!

Well summed up.

 

The problem is cheap labour and poor if any skills.

 

I have yet to see a building inspector in Thailand.

 

Nothing in the country is built properly or designed to last.

 

The only country I have seen where things are even worse is India.

 

 

They use the monsoon in lieu of inspectors!

 

[webfact]

PATHUM THANI
Police to charge contractors of building with negligence


Photo : Anan Wijitpracha

PATHUM THANI: -- Police will charge contractors of the building that collapsed on Monday in Pathum Thani province for negligence causing deaths and injuries.

Until now, at least three people, including a mother and her baby, were killed.

Pol Maj Gen Smithi Mukdasanit, provincial police commander said that police now learnt about the names of the contractors of the building and prepared to charge them with negligence that caused deaths and wounded.

Their licenses would be inspected if they were valid or not.

Meanwhile Chayan Sirimart, provincial disaster prevention and migitation said the mother who was killed in the accident was identified only as Oun while the third victim was Chettha Kampuchat.

He also referred to Klanarong Prabpai, 24, who has been trapped under the debris since yesterday, saying the rescue works on him had to be very careful to prevent more collapsing.

The 19 injured workers were now receiving treatment at hospitals in the area, he added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-to-charge-contractors-of-building-with-negl-30240774.html

[thenation]2014-08-12[/thenation]

[Cuchulainn]

Negligence!!!??? 

 

Is that it? 

[Robby nz]

Negligence!!!??? 

 

Is that it? 

 

negligence causing deaths and injuries.

 

That changes it somewhat, an initial charge until an investigation has been carried out.

 

There can still be many other charges in the future as well as charges to others, for instance :

 

A supplier who may have supplied material different to that which was ordered, or possibly officials or inspectors who may have turned a blind eye to substandard material being used or work being done (like corruption).

 

A terrible thing that must be properly investigated, not just for those who were killed and injured but to make sure it never happens again.
 

[connda]

 

 

Of course there is an explanation as to why a mother and her baby were on a construction site?

Not at all unusual for whole families to live onsite.

 

"Not unusual" is not really a satisfactory explanation of why whole families are allowed to live on construction sites.

 

 

Do you know the wage scales for construction workers?  Laborers don't make a whole lot.  And the fact that most of them travel from their 'homes' throughout Thailand to work in places where construction is taking place makes them like nomads.  So keeping your family with you makes sense on more than one level.  Whole families of migrant workers come into America every year and live where they work.  Unusual - no.  Truck drivers often travel with their significant other.  Unusual?  No.  So what is unusual with living with your family onsite of a construction site.  This ain't the West. 

 

[Sena Dave]

And people want a high speed railway ?

 

Par for the course in this part of the world , they wont listen or learn

[Confuscious]

UPDATE:

Rescue continues for building collapse victims
By Digital Content



PATHUM THANI, Aug 12 -- Rescue workers are searching to help an unknown number of construction workers trapped in a building that collapsed in Pathum Thani yesterday, while executives of the Engineering Institute of Thailand inspected the scene to find out the cause of the collapse.

Three people were confirmed dead in the tragedy of the six-storey condominium in Khlong Hok sub-district of Khlong Luang district.

Two of the dead were identified as a migrant mother and her child and the other succumbed to his wounds under a beam at about 9.45am today.

Twenty-four people were injured, mostly migrant workers.

Rescue work continued all night long but was slow because workers lacked heavy equipment to break through the huge concrete rubble.

The authorities have not yet found the engineer responsible for the construction of the building.

They initially assumed poured cement on the 6th floor of the building caused its collapse.

Suchatchawee Suwannasawat and Siriwat Chaichana, president and secretary-general respectively of the Engineering Institute of Thailand, inspected the debris this morning to determine the cause.

Dr Narong Tangtrongpairote, Pathum Thani health chief, said the injured were treated at Thanyaburi, Pathum Thani, Khlong Luang and Thammasat Chalermprakiat Hospitals. Some are severely injured.

A delegation led by Dr Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary for public health, will also inspect the scene.

Rescue workers believe many people remain trapped under the rubble. (MCOT online news)

[tna]2014-08-12[/tna]

 

That says it all.

 

The collapse of the building was caused once again by foreigners without the proper amulets.

I read somewhere else that Immigration is the inspect if these foreigners had the proper Visa's and work permits to carry out the construction.

[Deacon Bell]

^ I think you're reading a bit too much into it.

 

Most labourers in Bangkok will be either Cambodian, Laos, Burmese, or from the North-East.

 

Don't think that they're blaming foreigners, just mentioning that most of the injured are migrants. 

[metisdead]

Some trolling posts have been removed.

[seajae]

when you have several tons of several cement floors on pissy supports waiting for all the bricks to do the actual strengthening this is what happens.

They put in the red sh*t land fill then drive cement columns into it, no soil tests are conducted to see how deep they need to go or what the soil is like under them, they just knock them in then make the support columns from boxed sides and rio on top of them, fill it with cement, no vibrators to make sure there are no air pockets and then they put several tons of cement flooring on them at how ever many levels they want, the fact that there is no real support for the weight never comes into it, much easier to pour all the floors together  then add the brick between the columns to take the weight later. Have to wonder if they were using their regular pieces of bamboo or nailed together timber scraps to help support it. I have seen several buildings collapse and it is always from the same reason, too much weight for the supports. Money rules, lives come further down the line after the profits, these building sites are that shoddy its beyond a joke, by the way it falls/collapses you can tell that the supports have failed but this is Thailand and what else can we expect. 

[MK1]

 Ultimately and sadly, the construction Industry in Thailand is unregulated and what laws there are never enforced by any authority until after incidents like this happen. This is a prime example of Construction industry that has lost its way and out-of-control. Time for the Junta to review this industry too including examine the very people who keep on financing these dodgy developments such as the banks who never carry out due diligence checks on the companies that build them. 

[Jay Sata]

I agree it has lost its way but I don't think it ever found it in the first place.

 

 

[lvr181]

 Ultimately and sadly, the construction Industry in Thailand is unregulated and what laws there are never enforced by any authority until after incidents like this happen. This is a prime example of Construction industry that has lost its way and out-of-control. Time for the Junta to review this industry too including examine the very people who keep on financing these dodgy developments such as the banks who never carry out due diligence checks on the companies that build them. 

 

I can understand what you are saying but "never enforced by any authority until after incidents like this happen". This has happened in the past and the "authorities" STILL DO NOT ENFORCE. Therein lays the problem!

 

No one checks anything, no one is made to accept responsibility and no one is punished in a manner that may deter others in the future.