Samut sakhon: The pickup truck that fell into a sinkhole on Rama 2 Road has been successfully removed, and efforts are underway to address the traffic congestion affecting both inbound and outbound lanes.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident began when a sinkhole approximately 3 meters wide appeared on the parallel lane of Rama 2 Road at kilometer 29, Maha Chai Subdistrict, Mueang District, Samut Sakhon Province. A pickup truck, driven by Mr. Sampan, lost control and its front right wheel fell into the hole. The area around the wheel was flooded, and the incident took place in a section of the road that is under construction.
Mr. Sampan, who was unharmed, recounted his experience, stating that the road appeared dry and normal before it suddenly collapsed, causing the mishap. Police have since coordinated with a tow truck to remove the vehicle and have placed traffic cones to cordon off the affected area, leaving only one lane open for traffic. Authorities have advised motorists to avoid the route if possible.
The Department of Highways disclosed that the Samut Sakhon Municipal Waterworks Division had previously excavated the road to connect a large water pipe, which was followed by a burst pipe that caused the surface to subside. Moreover, the Deputy Mayor of Samut Sakhon Municipality noted that the water supply was disrupted citywide due to the incident.
An emergency declaration was issued by the Samut Sakhon Municipality, highlighting the widespread water outage caused by the ruptured pipe on the parallel road. Efforts are being made to manage the traffic congestion exacerbated by a beam collapse and road subsidence on the Bangkok-bound side, with repairs being expedited by the Department of Highways and other responsible parties.
The Deputy Director of the Samut Sakhon Highway District stated that measures are being implemented to create a diversion route to alleviate traffic, with repairs expected to take approximately 6-7 hours. Coordination is ongoing to ensure swift restoration of normal conditions.