The director-general of the Department of Highways has ordered a rapid investigation into the collapse of scaffolding onto Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province on Sunday afternoon.
Sarawut Songsivilai, the highways director-general, said that apart from the investigation, he also ordered officials to check and secure all steel scaffolding along the elevated Motorway 82 (M82) project.
The elevated road is being built for a distance of 81 kilometres above Rama II Road (Highway 35) from Bangkok via Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram to Ratchaburi province.
According to Mr Sarawut, the collapse of the 14-metre-high scaffolding happened on the Bang Khunthian-Ban Phaeo section of the elevated motorway project in tambon Mahachai of Muang district, Samut Sakhon, at 3.17pm on Sunday. The scaffolding fell on the Bangkok-bound side at the 27.5 kilometre marker on Rama II Highway, but nobody was injured.
Officials cleared the debris and reopened the highway section at 3.45pm. Mr Sarawut wanted the investigation to be concluded as soon as possible.
Construction along Rama II Highway – which has dragged on for years – was suspended from April 11 to 17 to pave the way for travellers during the Songkran Thai New Year festival. Mr Sarawut apologised for the collapse.
Rama II Road is a main highway to the South but motorists have expressed concerns about safety due to numerous structural collapses on the artery.
In July 2022, a U-turn bridge beam fell in Samut Sakhon. In May last year a concrete slab fell, killing a worker. In January a crane basket fell, killing one construction worker and injuring another.
Earlier Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin warned contractors to ensure safety in the construction of the elevated motorway.