Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced the immediate demolition of the Samsen police station on 7/10/2024, after engineers discovered further subsidence and cracks in its structure. The station, located on Samsen Road in central Bangkok, was compromised following a large sinkhole that opened up last month. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul approved the move to prevent risks.

Demolition work has commenced on the left side of the building, near the Vajira Hospital intersection. Officials are employing long-arm cranes and robotic equipment to dismantle the upper structure, a method chosen to minimize vibrations that could affect the nearby hospital. To date, most of the roof and steel framework have been removed, reducing the building's overall weight.

The Samsen police station after a significant subsidence incident in central Bangkok last month. Photo: Bangkok Post

The right side of the police station will remain temporarily while engineers inject chemicals into the ground to stabilize the foundation. This will precede the filling of the hole with sand and subsequent road paving. The original contractor will be responsible for rebuilding the police station. However, this demolition decision means that road restoration in front of Vajira Hospital cannot be completed as initially planned for 8/10/2024 or 9/10/2024.

The Ministry of Transport and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) have apologized for the inconvenience and will announce a new timeline for road restoration soon. The ministry has also established an investigation committee to pinpoint the cause of the incident. If the contractor is found liable, they will bear all associated costs as per their contract.

The sinkhole, measuring 30 by 30 meters and 50 meters deep, first appeared on 24/9/2024 on the road outside Vajira Hospital and Samsen police station in the Dusit district of central Bangkok. While no casualties were reported, the subsidence significantly disrupted public services in the area.

Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt explained that the sinkhole emerged within the construction zone of a two-way subway tunnel for the Purple Line. This line is undergoing an extension project to connect western suburbs with the Dusit district. The tunnel, with a diameter of 6.5 meters, is situated at a depth of 30 to 35 meters. The sinkhole was caused by a water leak from a broken pipe at an unstable point where the tunnel connects to the station.

Huyen Le (According to Bangkok Post, Nation Thailand)