A Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge has been closed for repairs after one of its support pillars subsided.
The bridge, linking Myawaddy in Myanmar with Ban Rim Moei in Mae Sot, Tak province, was closed at 5pm on Friday, 3½ hours ahead of its normal closing time, after subsidence was found in one of its pillars, Thai Rath Online reported onSaturday.
The damage was caused by heavy trucks, especially 10-whee fuel tankers weighing 42 tonnes each. The bridge supports up to 25-tonne vehicles, with clear signs indicating the maximum load.
Besides, since the bridge has two lanes, trucks had to go slowly and stay a long time on the bridge, adding to the overall weight. Si Sang Engineering was hired to fix it.
Last year, the bridge underwent a major repair after its beams were damaged and the deck cracked. Once completed, trucks over 25 tonnes has been unofficially allowed to use it.