Samut sakhon: Officials are rushing to reinforce the sinkhole with sheet piles to prevent further landslides on Rama 2 Road before pumping water out of the hole to locate any damaged water pipes.
According to Thai News Agency, Samut Sakhon municipal officials brought in machinery and equipment to deal with a sinkhole approximately 3 meters wide and 3 meters deep where a section of road had collapsed. They plan to use steel sheet piles to create a protective barrier around the sinkhole to prevent further soil erosion before pumping water out. This will allow them to inspect the underground area for possible damage to water pipes and proceed with repairs.
Mr. Chumphol Chanjaraswattana, Mayor of Samut Sakhon Municipality, inspected the scene and stated that the incident occurred at a temporary connection point for a 1000-millimeter diameter municipal water pipe. Due to road construction in the parallel lane area, the municipality had to raise the pipe to an elevated position. The incident occurred at a temporary connection point between the above-ground pipe and the underground pipe. It is suspected that the pipe damage was caused by road vibrations from heavy traffic in the parallel lane, stemming from a recent crane collapse in a nearby area. This resulted in increased road closures and traffic diversions onto the parallel lane, with a large volume of cars and trucks using this route. It is believed that the weight of the road may have compressed the soil beneath the pipe. He confirmed that the incident is unrelated to the road construction or the elevated road project. However, the exact cause of the pipe breakage will be further investigated.