Truck falls off subsided canal road but driver safe

[webfact]

Truck falls off subsided canal road but driver safe



BANGKOK: -- A 6-wheeler fell off the canal road which subsided over two metres deep from the surface in Nong Sua district of Pathumthani early Thursday morning.

Fortunately the driver, identified as Pumipat Kampaprai, was not hurt.

The accident from the subsided canal road caused by severe drought and subsequent drying canal that the road paralleled happened on Klong 13 canal road at Kilometre marker 12 in front of Wat Thammarat Charoenpol.

The road runs along Klong 13 canal from Nong Sua district of Pathumthani to Nong Khae district of Saraburi.

He told military personnel keeping guard near the scene that he was not aware of the land subsidence because there is no warning sign.

The subsided section is about 100 metres long.

The accident prompted local authorities to put up warning signs along the canal road for fear that more unaware motorists might take the canal road to Nong Khae.

They also warned motorists not to drive at night as it was hard to notice the subsidence as there was no light.

Meanwhile local authorities said this canal road is situated on the right of the Rapeepat canal in Nong Roang subdistrict, Nong Khae district of Saraburi province.

They said the road continued to cave in, with the total distance now reaching up to 100 metres, and some section as deep as 7 metres.

Following the accident, authorities from the Department of Rural Roads (DRR) promptly brought in machinery to fix up the road, so that commuters could return to using the road as soon as possible.

Meanwhile more canal roads were reported subsided.

In Ratchburi province’s Damnoen Saduak district, meanwhile, local authorities rushed to inspect the Nong Khai Kaeo- Poo Charoen road near the irrigation canal, after the road caved in, forcing authorities to close the road for safety.

Authorities have predicted that the drying of the water in the canal has caused the road to sink.

Local residents of Nakhon Sawan province living near or along the Nan River are also facing extreme hardships, as the banks of the canals have collapsed in line with lowering water level in the river, which is the lowest in a decade.

They found that the soil on the banks have slid back into the river by about 10 metres deep for a distance of 20 metres long, pulling down homes and animal barns of the villagers along with it, killing dozens of farm animals.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/truck-falls-off-subsided-canal-road-but-driver-safe


-- Thai PBS 2015-07-10

[webfact]

Pumping of water blamed for road cracks
The Nation



Farmers in Pathum Thani sucking local canal dry in a bid to save their crops

BANGKOK: -- Drought hit farmers in Pathum Thani continue to pump water out of the almost dry Raphipat Canal in a bid to save their crops. However, their action is being widely blamed for causing a nearby road to sustain cracks and partially collapse.

A truck overturned on the road yesterday because a big crack suddenly happened. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.

"Please be sympathetic with farmers," Jamroon Asana, a local village head, said yesterday, adding that banana growers were suffering badly from the water shortage.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Pumping-of-water-blamed-for-road-cracks-30264127.html

-- The Nation 2015-07-10

[WhamBam]

Wouldn't like to drive there at night.

[Pimay1]

The accident prompted local authorities to put up warning signs along the canal road for fear that more unaware motorists might take the canal road to Nong Khae.

Of course if there had not been an accident, no signs would have been erected. What was that about safety first?

Edited July 9, 2015 by Pimay1

[NongKhaiKid]

I wonder how many similar roads haven't had warning signs placed yet and possibly won't until something happens ?

I don't watch Thai TV so have no idea if a list of these locations is being made public or if the many local radio stations are broadcasting for their area, maybe requires thought and therefore too much trouble.

Edited July 9, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[oneday]

"...because there is no warning sign..."

So incredibly typical.

[gerry123]

thats a novel way to stop speeding trucks i expect to see more of this my truck fly syndrome

[slapout]

''not my job'' who is assigned to travel the roads and put up flags, flashing lights to warn of danger ahead? could not be the highway parrol, they are escort service for vips, bib have no room on their motor bike for cones, flares, reflectors, etc.

guess a new devision of transportation may be required, either that or herd the motorcycle hotrod racers in the general direction of said roads, find out how good they really are at riding and maybe lose some non contributers to society along the way.

[JAG]

Not wishing to be a pedant ( no honestly! ) but that lorry has 10 wheels!.

Why was the subsidence not marked by a tree branch in the road 3 meters before the hole?

I also wonder why the military were involved?

[LennyW]

Not wishing to be a pedant ( no honestly! ) but that lorry has 10 wheels!.

Why was the subsidence not marked by a tree branch in the road 3 meters before the hole?

I also wonder why the military were involved?

It actually has eight wheels, 4 at the back, 2 at the front, a spare and a steering wheel!

[halloween]

Not wishing to be a pedant ( no honestly! ) but that lorry has 10 wheels!.

Why was the subsidence not marked by a tree branch in the road 3 meters before the hole?

I also wonder why the military were involved?

It actually has eight wheels, 4 at the back, 2 at the front, a spare and a steering wheel!

How many have tread?

[JAG]

:)Probably only the steering wheel!

Edited July 10, 2015 by JAG

[glasswort]

More likely to be totally inadequate construction specifications and/or equally inadequate construction performance.

[Nobb]

Farmers sucking the canals dry to save the crops they were told not to plant in the first place. Thai farmers think they can break the law because no one enforce the law. All local police say poor farmer will lose half there income without harvest. Know they lose income plus cost of planting rice when told not to. They will ask the government to help them. Put them to work on rebuilding the bad canal roads because of there greed!

[Ulic]

No warning signs, no breaks, driving to fast to stop, the only thing I am sure of

is it was not the drivers fault.

[wabothai]

or to busy on his phone. Anybody not being distracted would have noticed.

[sunatejoseph]

Farmers sucking the canals dry to save the crops they were told not to plant in the first place. Thai farmers think they can break the law because no one enforce the law. All local police say poor farmer will lose half there income without harvest. Know they lose income plus cost of planting rice when told not to. They will ask the government to help them. Put them to work on rebuilding the bad canal roads because of there greed!

WOW. Their Greed?? It's "their" livelihood. They didn't cause this. It's poor construction. What if someone told you to stop working and the only chance you had to get by was to keep working? Would you listen? Most Thai farmers a very poor. You call it greed when they are just trying to survive. If they didn't plant "their" crops do you really think the government would reimburse them for lost profit?Do you have something against farmers? Sure sounds like it.

[rametindallas]

Wouldn't like to drive there at night.

Especially on a motorcycle!

.

[JAG]

Farmers sucking the canals dry to save the crops they were told not to plant in the first place. Thai farmers think they can break the law because no one enforce the law. All local police say poor farmer will lose half there income without harvest. Know they lose income plus cost of planting rice when told not to. They will ask the government to help them. Put them to work on rebuilding the bad canal roads because of there greed!

WOW. Their Greed?? It's "their" livelihood. They didn't cause this. It's poor construction. What if someone told you to stop working and the only chance you had to get by was to keep working? Would you listen? Most Thai farmers a very poor. You call it greed when they are just trying to survive. If they didn't plant "their" crops do you really think the government would reimburse them for lost profit?Do you have something against farmers? Sure sounds like it.

Straight out of his beloved Generals guide to showing empathy!

And as for" putting them to work" why not go the whole hog and establish a chain of labour camps. You could call them a "gulag".