Tragic end to building collapse in Pathum Thani

[webfact]

PATHUM THANI
Tragic end to building collapse in Pathum Thani
ANAN WICHITPRACHA
THE NATION



Buri Ram woman managed to talk to husband stuck in wreckage before he died

BANGKOK: -- A BURI RAM woman who made a desperate dash from the northeast to Pathum Thani in search of her husband - trapped in a building that collapsed late on Monday - was able to say just a few words to him, before he died early yesterday.

After learning on Monday from a television report that a six-storey condominium being built in Klong Luang had collapsed, Sutha Arunsri travelled all the way from her home in Isaan to the site in hope of learning the fate of her husband Chettha Kamphuchat, who was trapped in the debris.

It was a journey of 400 kilometres tinged with hope, but one that ended, ultimately, in tragedy.

Standing anxiously outside the sealed area since 5am yesterday, she said her husband was a farmer who had only started working at the construction site two days ago.

"I'm worried about my husband and I can't get hold of his four or five worker friends to learn about him. I'm not sure if they were all trapped in the debris," she said.

Chettha was one of seven workers stuck in the wreckage yesterday morning. He was able to talk to rescue workers throughout the night and was given a large amount of saline and oxygen. By 6am, he could still talk, but his pulse weakened until he lost conscious.

Rescue workers took Sutha to talk to him briefly. But that was all they could do. At 9.30am he passed away while his wife waited in vain outside.

All but one of seven workers who were trapped ended up dying, bringing the death toll to at least eight, while about 30 others were injured, five seriously.

The search and rescue mission by soldiers, officials and workers equipped with machinery ended late yesterday. They face difficulty because removing the rubble required caution amid fears the structure might collapse further.

Late yesterday - 24 hours after the building collapsed - the drama ended. Of the last six who were trapped all but one died and the army begun lifting the heavy material away from the site.

One trapped man rescued

The one trapped worker who survived was Chon Buri native Klanarong Prappai, 24, who communicated with rescue workers that his legs were stuck under the debris. His mother Pratheep Arunsri, who arrived at the site from Pattaya yesterday afternoon, said Klanarong had come with relatives to work at the site.

As the search for her son continued, Pratheep told reporters Klanarong had planned to bring his wife and son to celebrate National Mother's Day with her.

Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) president Suchatvee Suwansawat said the rescue mission made safety a priority. The searchers had to drill through to the victims rather than digging and lifting rubble out.

There would also have to be a plan for removing debris from the site after all the victims were out, he said.

Suchatvee said that after the rescue mission was over, an EIT team would inspect the building, which was reportedly 50 per cent constructed, to see if the work had been carried out properly and according to the plan. It would take some time for engineers and forensic police to determine what caused the collapse.

An informed source reported that the area was a wetland that had suffered from the 2011 flood, before being purchased for building construction.

Survivor Ronnachai Thirat, 25, recalled that he was resting inside the structure when he heard a loud sound like a lightning strike above, followed by clouds of dust. He immediately sprang out for safety just before the building collapsed.

"I don't know how I escaped. I'm very lucky to survive," he said.

Ronnachai sustained a head wound and injuries to both legs.

Pathum Thani Governor Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun said police would summon the condominium-project owner and project engineer for questioning. Local authorities, as a precaution, would inspect a nearby condo building in the same project.

Dr Narong Sahamethapat, permanent secretary of the Public Health Ministry, said the incident affected 33 workers - 24 Thais and nine migrants. Most of the injured had been treated and released, but five remained in hospital. Their medical costs would be covered.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Tragic-end-to-building-collapse-in-Pathum-Thani-30240810.html

[thenation]2014-08-13[/thenation]

[webfact]

Rescuers pull survivor from collapsed Thai building

BANGKOK, August 13, 2014 (AFP) - Thai rescuers Tuesday pulled a survivor from the rubble of a collapsed building as they searched for five workers still trapped a day after the cave-in left three dead and 24 injured, officials said.

Rescue teams have kept up their hunt for the workers since the under-construction student accommodation block toppled Monday afternoon in Pathum Thani province, north of Bangkok.

Late Tuesday afternoon they pulled out alive a 24-year-old Thai man from the wreckage, local governor Pongsathorn Sajjacholapund told AFP by telephone.

"The rescuers kept him alive by giving him water through a hose... he has just been pulled out alive but looks weak," he said.

The governor said three people were killed and 24 injured after the six-storey building collapsed.

"There are five people still trapped," Pongsathorn said, adding that it was unlikely they would be found alive.

Rescue efforts using cranes to sift through piles of broken concrete were ongoing late Tuesday.

Labour groups have warned about lax safety standards and low wages at Thai construction sites, especially for migrant workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, who are often paid below the country's minimum daily wage.

The nation has seen a building boom in recent years as the property market has soared.

[afp]2014-08-13[/afp]

[coma]

" Pathum Thani Governor Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun said police would summon the condominium-project owner and project engineer for questioning.."

 

I am sure they will be able to help the police with their enquiries. 

[MrBlobby99]

All building materials should be rated for safety, especially in load bearing situations, and depending on the amount of floors above them, certain material ratings MUST be made illegal at such levels. This is standard law in the west and there are very strict rules and severe punishments for non conformity.

 

The owners of the construction company should face severe prison time if they deliberately used poor quality materials in the lower load bearing floors, also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials.

 

What is the betting that these inspectors are regularly paid off to look the other way on such issues?

[DrLom]

All building materials should be rated for safety, especially in load bearing situations, and depending on the amount of floors above them, certain material ratings MUST be made illegal at such levels. This is standard law in the west and there are very strict rules and severe punishments for non conformity.

 

The owners of the construction company should face severe prison time if they deliberately used poor quality materials in the lower load bearing floors, also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials.

 

What is the betting that these inspectors are regularly paid off to look the other way on such issues?

"also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials."

 

You do live here, right? Do you know any municipal engineers, and their qualifications? If the hat fits, they get the job....

[indothai]

tragic.... shoddy building methods, no enforcement, wide-spread corruption.

 

you think this is going to be the last building collapse?   Every time I walk into a building in Thailand, I always look around for the nearest exit or support pillars... sad but true.

 

"An informed source reported that the area was a wetland that had suffered from the 2011 flood, before being purchased for building construction."  case closed.

[jacko45k]

" Pathum Thani Governor Pongsathorn Sajjachonlaphun said police would summon the condominium-project owner and project engineer for questioning.."

 

I am sure they will be able to help the police with their enquiries. 

 

Probably still running!
 

[happynthailand]

What a sad story

[SOTIRIOS]

.........any standards.......???

 

...dreadful.........

 

....sorry for those that lost a loved one trying to 'make an honest living'.....

 

...the uncontrollable variable is the greed and corruption behind the 'money'......

 

....that's what kills !!!

[ratcatcher]

There are reports that the construction contractor is allegedly Chanaichon Kerdtes, a son of Chalor Kerdtes, a former police officer.

see here. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Blue-Diamond-case-cop-to-stay-in-jail-4-others-sen-30175556.html

 

After reading that one is free to draw their own conclusions.

[Zeegator]

 

All building materials should be rated for safety, especially in load bearing situations, and depending on the amount of floors above them, certain material ratings MUST be made illegal at such levels. This is standard law in the west and there are very strict rules and severe punishments for non conformity.

 

The owners of the construction company should face severe prison time if they deliberately used poor quality materials in the lower load bearing floors, also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials.

 

What is the betting that these inspectors are regularly paid off to look the other way on such issues?

"also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials."

 

You do live here, right? Do you know any municipal engineers, and their qualifications? If the hat fits, they get the job....

 

 

"Do you know any municipal engineers, and their qualifications?"

 

Do you?

[Frank James]

As an old time construction worker, I like to observe methods and details of construction that I see all over this boom town called Chiang Mai. It's not all shoddy work at all. I marvel at seeing these big crews of non-Thai workers, capably erecting such large projects as the new Maya Mall. Somebody knows what they are doing. However, I have also observed smaller condo projects where vital exterior columns had large voids, due to poor vibrating. A few days after stripping the column, with load from the second floor already being applied, someone with a trowel and a bucket of concrete came by and patched up the voids. The building I'm thinking of is now in the final finishing stages, with signs all around touting the generous terms to move in. Looks pretty with all that new paint.

 

Should be all OK as soon as the monks crew comes in to bless this house and all who live in her, protect us from evil , etc.

[kuiburi]

As Frank James sayed already , poor vibrating of the concrete , also what i very often see in Thailand and other countries , They add a lot of water to the ready mixed concrete arriving on trucks .

 

An engineer can calculate a perfect strong building , but when construction workers and foremen add water to good concrete the engineers calculation are out of the window .

 

Water / cement ratio is one of the most important things in any building , and ofcourse the right rebar in the right positions .

 

 

[draftvader]

 

 

All building materials should be rated for safety, especially in load bearing situations, and depending on the amount of floors above them, certain material ratings MUST be made illegal at such levels. This is standard law in the west and there are very strict rules and severe punishments for non conformity.

 

The owners of the construction company should face severe prison time if they deliberately used poor quality materials in the lower load bearing floors, also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials.

 

What is the betting that these inspectors are regularly paid off to look the other way on such issues?

"also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials."

 

You do live here, right? Do you know any municipal engineers, and their qualifications? If the hat fits, they get the job....

 

 

"Do you know any municipal engineers, and their qualifications?"

 

Do you?

 

 

I don't.  However I have met 100s of "drivers" whose only qualification is that they have told people that they are a "driver" (even though they don't have a clue about defensive driving, planning a route, reading a map, safe stopping distances, etc, etc).  I don't think that kind of interview applies to just one industry.  If you don't have a qualified person to ask then who its to judge the veracity of the employee?

[climbertrev1]

As Frank James sayed already , poor vibrating of the concrete , also what i very often see in Thailand and other countries , They add a lot of water to the ready mixed concrete arriving on trucks .

 

An engineer can calculate a perfect strong building , but when construction workers and foremen add water to good concrete the engineers calculation are out of the window .

 

Water / cement ratio is one of the most important things in any building , and ofcourse the right rebar in the right positions .

 

 

It is common practice in most western countries to take core samples of the hardened concrete to ensure the concrete was and is still to standard.

[webfact]

PATHUM THANI
Search for survivors in building collapse called off

BANGKOK: -- Pathum Thani Governor Pongsathorn Sachachonpun on Wednesday cancelled searches at a building that collapsed on Sunday in the province after sniffer dogs found no signs of survivors. He also ordered demolition of the building.

A source however said that dogs appeared to find some bodies under the debris. The governor also ordered inspection of buildings near the six-storey edifice under construction that collapsed on Sunday to determine if they were safe enough to continue the construction. The collapse killed at least three people including a mother and her baby.

Affected persons will be paid compensation of not more than Bt300,000 while families of the victims will initially be paid Bt30,000. Thais and migrant workers will receive equal amounts.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Search-for-survivors-in-building-collapse-called-o-30240818.html

[thenation]2014-08-13[/thenation]

[robblok]

As an old time construction worker, I like to observe methods and details of construction that I see all over this boom town called Chiang Mai. It's not all shoddy work at all. I marvel at seeing these big crews of non-Thai workers, capably erecting such large projects as the new Maya Mall. Somebody knows what they are doing. However, I have also observed smaller condo projects where vital exterior columns had large voids, due to poor vibrating. A few days after stripping the column, with load from the second floor already being applied, someone with a trowel and a bucket of concrete came by and patched up the voids. The building I'm thinking of is now in the final finishing stages, with signs all around touting the generous terms to move in. Looks pretty with all that new paint.

 

Should be all OK as soon as the monks crew comes in to bless this house and all who live in her, protect us from evil , etc.

 

I am not a builder I am actually someone who is bad at building and manual labor. But I agree with what your saying because my dad who is good at anything has been here many times and seen the shoddy work and the good work. He always remarked there are some good people working in Thailand and some absolute idiots. I can remember him cursing while remodeling my kitchen and bathroom when the walls were crooked and things were sub standard. ( i know i broke the law let him work here for me but I did not pay him he paid me to be away from mom). 

 

But he also said that he seen great work in the malls and such and many structures stay good for years. So there are good Thais they are just harder to find and they are fast scooped up by companies who use quality personal. They are probably never short of work and hard to find. Of course you will have to pay a lot more for people like that.

 

Thais are just like any other nationality you got people who are smart good and do their job perfect and you got idiots. The percentage might be a bit higher here because lack of education in construction and such and no good apprenticeship. Thais are far to transient and change jobs too fast often to become real good at something.

 

Just think back how long it took you guys to get great at what you were doing. I know it took me a while and I am still learning and improving. 

[Robby nz]

 

As Frank James sayed already , poor vibrating of the concrete , also what i very often see in Thailand and other countries , They add a lot of water to the ready mixed concrete arriving on trucks .

 

An engineer can calculate a perfect strong building , but when construction workers and foremen add water to good concrete the engineers calculation are out of the window .

 

Water / cement ratio is one of the most important things in any building , and ofcourse the right rebar in the right positions .

 

 

It is common practice in most western countries to take core samples of the hardened concrete to ensure the concrete was and is still to standard.

 

 

They do that here but how often I don't know.

 

I see the samples, about a foot long and 3 inches across with the information of where and when stamped on one end stored at one of the local council buildings, must go take a photo for those who don't believe.

 

If they have taken samples from the pours on the collapsed building they will be able to go through them to check.

 

I see in some buildings they wrap the columns to help cure the concrete but in others not.

[kuiburi]

 

As Frank James sayed already , poor vibrating of the concrete , also what i very often see in Thailand and other countries , They add a lot of water to the ready mixed concrete arriving on trucks .

 

An engineer can calculate a perfect strong building , but when construction workers and foremen add water to good concrete the engineers calculation are out of the window .

 

Water / cement ratio is one of the most important things in any building , and ofcourse the right rebar in the right positions .

 

 

It is common practice in most western countries to take core samples of the hardened concrete to ensure the concrete was and is still to standard.

 

Yes , most western countries it is .

[biplanebluey]

All building materials should be rated for safety, especially in load bearing situations, and depending on the amount of floors above them, certain material ratings MUST be made illegal at such levels. This is standard law in the west and there are very strict rules and severe punishments for non conformity.

 

The owners of the construction company should face severe prison time if they deliberately used poor quality materials in the lower load bearing floors, also the municipal engineers should face punishment if they did not make the necessary checks on the standard of said materials.

 

What is the betting that these inspectors are regularly paid off to look the other way on such issues?

 

 

 

 I will try to see that your comments and recommendations are passed to those relevant people

[frimu]

So sad to imagine this scene.

Talking to your loved one and you know, it's the last time.

[khunken]

 

As an old time construction worker, I like to observe methods and details of construction that I see all over this boom town called Chiang Mai. It's not all shoddy work at all. I marvel at seeing these big crews of non-Thai workers, capably erecting such large projects as the new Maya Mall. Somebody knows what they are doing. However, I have also observed smaller condo projects where vital exterior columns had large voids, due to poor vibrating. A few days after stripping the column, with load from the second floor already being applied, someone with a trowel and a bucket of concrete came by and patched up the voids. The building I'm thinking of is now in the final finishing stages, with signs all around touting the generous terms to move in. Looks pretty with all that new paint.

 

Should be all OK as soon as the monks crew comes in to bless this house and all who live in her, protect us from evil , etc.

 

I am not a builder I am actually someone who is bad at building and manual labor. But I agree with what your saying because my dad who is good at anything has been here many times and seen the shoddy work and the good work. He always remarked there are some good people working in Thailand and some absolute idiots. I can remember him cursing while remodeling my kitchen and bathroom when the walls were crooked and things were sub standard. ( i know i broke the law let him work here for me but I did not pay him he paid me to be away from mom). 

 

But he also said that he seen great work in the malls and such and many structures stay good for years. So there are good Thais they are just harder to find and they are fast scooped up by companies who use quality personal. They are probably never short of work and hard to find. Of course you will have to pay a lot more for people like that.

 

Thais are just like any other nationality you got people who are smart good and do their job perfect and you got idiots. The percentage might be a bit higher here because lack of education in construction and such and no good apprenticeship. Thais are far to transient and change jobs too fast often to become real good at something.

 

Just think back how long it took you guys to get great at what you were doing. I know it took me a while and I am still learning and improving. 

 

 

Very well said. (Mum a bit of a battleaxe?)
 

[jcisco]

Is this U-Place condo any relation to the U-Place on Ladphrao 112??

[jpduggan]

   There's going to be a lot more of this happening. I seen 3 buildings in Pattaya under construction that I would not ever go into for my own safety.[attachment=278977:IMAG0076.jpg][attachment=278978:IMAG0078.jpg][attachment=278979:OMG1.jpg][attachment=278980:OMG4.jpg][attachment=278981:OMG5.jpg][attachment=278981:OMG5.jpg]

[Robby nz]

BANGKOK: -- Pathumthani police have arrested a contractor of the U Place condominium building which collapsed Monday killing three workers and injuring over 20 others.

The contractor, Diew Orabchoan, was arrested yesterday. He was initially charged with being reckless in construction that caused deaths and injuries to others.

Diew is among five suspects wanted by the police in the collapse of the building.

Arrest warrants were issued for them today by the Pathumthani court.

The four others include the owner of the condominium Mrs Pensri Kittipaisarlnont, the engineer Mr Saksit Inthong, owner of the construction firm Plookplaeng Co Mr Chanaichon Kerdthes, and foreman Jira Chaimun.

The four persons are contacting the police to turn themselves in today.

Source: http://englishnews.t...lding-arrested/