Restoration of the collapsed Uttamanusorn Bridge, better known as Saphan Mon in Sangkhla Buri, Kanchanaburi province, has been delayed. Seventy metres of the 850m-long wooden bridge collapsed on July 28 last year, due to strong river currents. However, restoration could not begin immediately due to the high level of the river.
Saphan Mon has not yet been fixed after it was partly destroyed since July 28 last year.
Kanchanaburi Governor Chaiwat Limwantha, also chairman of the Saphan Uttamanusorn Restoration committee, told the Bangkok Post that mai daeng (iron wood) planks and logs needed to begin the restoration process, were rare and not found in Thailand. "Use of the old wood will retain the bridge's identity and original look. When the bridge collapsed, the wood was submerged under the river. This means that divers will have to look for the wood," he said.
In October last year, a committee, chaired by Sangkhla Buri district chief Chathip Ruchanaseree, was set up to look for the submerged wood. The committee brought in a scuba diving team from the nearby Vajiralongkorn Dam, and between October 18-25 the team could only find five planks. Another attempt was made during Dec 9-23 and 21 planks were discovered.
The quantity is a far cry from the total number of planks needed to fix the bridge, said Chathip. "The amount of planks found is probably only 1% of the total wood needed," he said. The diving team reported that they could not recover all the submerged wood because of lack of tools to drag long and heavy planks, and strong river currents. Most of the planks were stuck deep and a search could not be conducted due to insufficient light. There were also safety concerns, the diving team added.
The committee decided to halt the search operation. "Since we cannot use the old wood, we need to import mai daeng from a neighbouring country," said the district chief. However, this solution has not yet been made official.
"I do not have the authority to reach a solution," said the district chief. "I want the bridge to be repaired as soon as possible because soon it will be another rainy season."
The delay also upset local people and the abbot of Wat Wang Wiwekaram. According to abbot Phramaha Suchat Siriphanyo, the temple and local community are willing to support the search and restoration process. Some people have donated nails and knots to the temple for the purpose.
"I am not the one who is delaying the process," said Chaiwat. "While I was waiting for the divers' results, I assigned a deputy governor to find other possible options."
The deputy governor has also reported that no legal iron wood could be found in the Kingdom, but could be found in Myanmar and Cambodia. "The import cost is high and I want to check other options," he said.
"The abbot of Wat Wang Wiwekaram told me to cut trees submerged in the northern part of Khao Laem dam and to use them to restore the bridge. However, it is illegal to cut trees in the [Khao Laem] national park," he said.
The delay has also raised questions over a 7-million-baht donation, from the Government Lottery Office (5 million baht) and Siam Commercial Bank (2 million baht). "The money is in a bank and can be withdrawn only by the approval of [Saphan Uttamanusorn Restoration] committee," said the governor.
Meanwhile, Chathip plans to join with Khao Laem National Park to draft a regulation for rafting houses on the Song Ka Lia River.
"A few owners chain their rafts to the support struts of Saphan Mon. This was part of the cause for the collapse, as the rafts dragged the struts," he said, adding that the regulation would protect the bridge from future damage.
Initiated by the highly revered late abbot Luang Pho Uttama of Wat Wang Wiwekaram, the Saphan Mon bridge was built by villagers in 1986. It is the longest wooden bridge in Thailand.
Email karnjanak@bangkokpost.co.th
if you have any comments to share.
