Residents panic over soil subsidence in Pathum Thani

[webfact]

Residents panic over soil subsidence in Pathum Thani
PANOR CHOMPOOSRI,
ANAN WICHITPRACHA
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Up to 10 two-storey townhouses in a housing estate in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district were damaged by subsidence on Monday night, prompting residents to evacuate the area in fear and panic, an informed source said yesterday.

After receiving complaints from the affected residents, The Nation saw that four of the townhouses were seriously damaged with walls tilting and cracked. The houses have been sealed off pending investigation. Officials from the local administrative body and soldiers were there to help residents move their belongings out of other affected houses.

One of owners of the four severely hit houses, Supattra Thaneerat, 59, said the land underneath had suddenly started subsiding at 8pm on Monday.

"We thought it was an earthquake and ran out, only to see that many of the neighbours were already on the street. Our house has sustained lots of cracks so we don't dare go back. We alerted the officials and went to stay with a relative," she said, adding that they returned in the morning to find the house had worsened. She said the officials were at hand to help them move out.

Supattra went on to say that the subsidence may have stemmed from the soil base softening, adding that many other houses in the same estate had similar problems and were part of ongoing lawsuits.

Tambon Lam Sam Kaew Municipality Mayor Boonkrai Boonkhum said the cause of subsidence would be investigated in detail and the municipality would seek the help of provincial public works officials. He said similar subsidence had affected some 10 houses earlier, but this time the subsidence took place in a new spot. He added that other houses nearby would be monitored and officials would take action accordingly.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Residents-panic-over-soil-subsidence-in-Pathum-Tha-30270840.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-14

[cloudhopper]

Hardly surprising. I've had 2 houses built in Thailand and neither one ever had a single inspection at any time during construction.

[MESmith]

What's going to happen when all the farmers start pumping ground water this coming dry season?

[trogers]

Would be helpful to know the age of this housing estate.

[tx22cb]

Hardly surprising. I've had 2 houses built in Thailand and neither one ever had a single inspection at any time during construction.

Even if someone were to have "inspected" the progress, how confident would one be in their qualification/assessment?

[Crossy]

No photos of the damage so not possible to see exactly what's gone on, but the whole area is on Bangkok clay, buildings need piles not simple footings.

We're on the other side of the river, 16m driven piles were needed.

[petejjj]

No photos of the damage so not possible to see exactly what's gone on, but the whole area is on Bangkok clay, buildings need piles not simple footings.

We're on the other side of the river, 16m driven piles were needed.

try this link Crossy. It's all in Thai but has pictures.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/532054

cheers

-P

[Crossy]

No photos of the damage so not possible to see exactly what's gone on, but the whole area is on Bangkok clay, buildings need piles not simple footings.

We're on the other side of the river, 16m driven piles were needed.

try this link Crossy. It's all in Thai but has pictures.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/532054

Cheers Pete.

Something has evidently moved, a lot!

Is it the houses themselves or the jerry-built add-ons stuck on the concrete hard-standings which almost certainly won't have piles?

Difficult to see from the photos, if I were a betting man my money would be on the fill under the add-ons subsiding away from the concrete which has finally given up and followed it.

The structures themselves look to be pretty well worn, I would have thought any subsiding would have been finished long ago, perhaps drought triggered?

[petejjj]

No photos of the damage so not possible to see exactly what's gone on, but the whole area is on Bangkok clay, buildings need piles not simple footings.

We're on the other side of the river, 16m driven piles were needed.

try this link Crossy. It's all in Thai but has pictures.

http://www.thairath.co.th/content/532054

Cheers Pete.

Something has evidently moved, a lot!

Is it the houses themselves or the jerry-built add-ons stuck on the concrete hard-standings which almost certainly won't have piles?

Difficult to see from the photos, if I were a betting man my money would be on the fill under the add-ons subsiding away from the concrete which has finally given up and followed it.

The structures themselves look to be pretty well worn, I would have thought any subsiding would have been finished long ago, perhaps drought triggered?

cheers Crossy.

...yes not too sure re causes. My wife used to live in a terrace house very VERY similar to the one in the pictures, and in the same village. It was a friend of her's that still lives there that alerted her, and in turn alerted me to the link.

I recall about 5 years ago going to one of her friends house and they had an issue with subsidence out the back of their place, so its no surprise. I've seen the village hit by flooding on several occasions since I have been frequenting there since 2008. Possibly the flooding has contributed? Also, in the village the government have been recently replacing the concrete roads in the Soi's, so that may have contributed?

cheers

-P

[gandalf12]

Hardly surprising. I've had 2 houses built in Thailand and neither one ever had a single inspection at any time during construction.

I have been in construction for longer than I can to remember. So far I have had 2 houses built and like you there was never an official inspection. During the build I took time out from work to be present every day and to make sure the houses were built to a reasonable standard. It doesn't replace a proper inspection by a structural engineer but I cant ever remember seeing an engineer in Thailand structural or otherwise. The Thai definition of engineer is way different to my definition. So far my current house has been through the floods of 2011 and is solid.

[doremifasol]

I have seen the pictures and understood the problem might be

related to the soil subsiding, but here is another problem that adds up.

The condition of so many housing estates in Pathumtani province

is totally disgusting.

The houses are dirty, moldy and smelly. have ever seen a painting job since

construction, were never maintained after the flood .

The gardens look awful as well, breading grounds for rats, snakes and what not.

The owners that care and maintain/repair their house have a lot to put up with

namely the uncaring neighbors that don't understand a housing estate is

a community and everyone should care for the good of all.

Edited October 14, 2015 by doremifasol

[h90]

Hardly surprising. I've had 2 houses built in Thailand and neither one ever had a single inspection at any time during construction.

+1 same same

[petejjj]

I have seen the pictures and understood the problem might be

related to the soil subsiding, but here is another problem that adds up.

The condition of so many housing estates in Pathumtani province

is totally disgusting.

The houses are dirty, moldy and smelly. have ever seen a painting job since

construction, were never maintained after the flood .

The gardens look awful as well, breading grounds for rats, snakes and what not.

The owners that care and maintain/repair their house have a lot to put up with

namely the uncaring neighbors that don't understand a housing estate is

a community and everyone should care for the good of all.

...tend to agree in general.

Lam Lukka where we regularly stay has some average areas and some nicer areas.

It will be interesting to see how all the new housing - condo estates look in another 10 - 15 years time????

cheers

-P

[Jonmarleesco]

Thai building (sub)standards.

[Songlaw]

No photos of the damage so not possible to see exactly what's gone on, but the whole area is on Bangkok clay, buildings need piles not simple footings.

We're on the other side of the river, 16m driven piles were needed.

It would be ill-advised to build anything heavier than a garden shed without pylons. Especially in Bangkok. Sixteen meters to find footing? That is tantamount to 15 meters of quicksand for anything with the weight of concrete construction. Whoa.

[seajae]

considering they will fill a water hole up and then build on top of it within a few months is it any wonder. Their drainage is not done properly(flows the wrong way) and often as the fill settles the plastic piping they use for the water starts to crack up washing even more fill away and the drains do the same, over several years this results in the slabs just sitting on an empty space as all the fill is gone. Until such time as they actually inspect and make the builders responsible for the houses and all the drains/water pipes etc it will keep happening. A 7 to 10 year guarantee on the house/structure/pipes/drains would solve it as it would make the builders responsible for anything that happens but that will never happen as it would remove too much of their profits.