A pick-up truck plunged into a sinkhole created by a sudden road collapse on the parallel lane of Rama II Road on Jan 17. -- PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): An urgent incident caused alarm among motorists in Samut Sakhon early on Saturday (Jan 17) when a section of Rama II Road on the inbound carriageway to Bangkok collapsed.
At around 6.30am local time, the Facebook page Samut Sakhon Press reported a sudden road collapse on the parallel lane of Rama II Road, near the Big Song shopping centre, creating a large and deep sinkhole roughly the width of a vehicle.
A pick-up truck driving through the area at the time plunged into the hole, with its front end dropping sharply downwards. The incident shocked witnesses, though initial reports indicate the vehicle was badly damaged.
The authorities from relevant agencies rushed to the scene to inspect the area.
A pick-up truck plunged into a sinkhole created by a sudden road collapse on the parallel lane of Rama II Road on Jan 17. -- PHOTO: THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Traffic in the affected section was immediately closed, and water valves were shut off amid concerns that a burst underground water pipe may have caused the subsidence.
Officials are coordinating with tow trucks and heavy machinery to recover the pick-up truck from the sinkhole.
Motorists travelling from Samut Sakhon into Bangkok on the morning of Jan 17 were advised to avoid Rama II Road near Big Song. Alternative routes include Phetkasem Road or Ekkachai Road to ease congestion and minimise delays.
The authorities remain on site as investigations and repair work continue. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
