Cops Investigating Boy Scout's Death in Songkhla Military Camp
By Khaosod English


The wall that a 15-year-old student was climbing over when an overhanging pole fell on his head and caused a fatal injury. Songkhla province, 24 Jan 2015.

SONGKHLA — Police say they are investigating the death of a 15-year-old student who died during boy scout training at a military camp in the southern province of Songkhla.

The incident took place on 24 January at Phra Pok Klao artillery base in Mueang district, police say. Pol.Col. Decha Kanchanasorat, the officer in charge of the case, said the victim was one of 300 students from Maha Vajiravuth School who were participating in boy and girl scout activities at the base.

One of the activities involved scouts climbing up a wall with the help of a rope thethered to an overhanging pole. As the victim was climbing the wall, the pole broke and fell on his head, causing a fatal injury, Pol.Col. Decha.

Full story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1422248378


-- Khaosod English 2015-01-26

That vertical (green painted) pole looks like concrete. If so, where's the reinforcing steel? Find out who built it or supervised its construction and where else they built stuff; then knock them down now. I've seen poor quality construction, but never quite this stupid. If the pole is wood then, with a joint like that, it should have been strapped. In terms of lousy construction, this takes the biscuit.

At last one case got the publicity. I know of two more cases from the last 3 months in Songkhla Province - one in Nathawee - in which students taking part in mandatory camp activities died in accident.