Fatal Rama II beam collapse blamed on human error

Human error has been blamed for the fall of a concrete beam on the Dao Khanong-Bangkok western outer ring road project on Rama 2 Road on March 15, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to 22 others in Chom Thong district.

According in an informed source at the Ministry of Transport, the fact-finding committee, led by Associate Professor Anek Siripanich, an advisor to the Engineering Institute of Thailand, has concluded that the fall of the beam was the result of human error in the course of construction.

The panel also confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the design of the structure, said the source.

Construction of the western outer ring road is being undertaken by a joint venture between Italian Development and Vichitbhan Company (ITD-VCB). The project is estimated to be costing about seven billion baht.

The source went on to say that the findings of panel are being considered by the Expressway and Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (ERTA), before being submitted to Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit.

These findings, according to the source, will also be forwarded to the police, by the ERTA, for investigation of those responsible for the error.

They will also be used by the ERTA as evidence to support compensation claims from the contractor and the consulting company, because the incident caused the closure of the Dao Khanong toll plaza from March 15th to 20th, resulting in losses of toll revenue, estimated at about one million baht per day.