Huge boulders block Mae Hong Son highway after heavy rain

Traffic on Highway 108, from Ban Huai Pong in Muang district to Ban Surin in Khun Yuam district in the northern province of Mae Hong Son, came to a standstill this morning after huge boulders fell from a mountain and blocked the road following heavy rain.

Heavy machinery from the Khun Yuam Highways Office has been sent to clear the blockage, but highway officials said some of the boulders are so large that the available machinery cannot handle them, meaning heavier equipment will have to be brought in.

While waiting for it to arrive, local officials have been trying to manage traffic by informing motorists of the road closure well in advance.

In the afternoon, workers have cleared part of the affected area and reopened one lane to traffic.

Traffic officers are managing the flow of vehicles and facilitating safe passage through the area for motorists.

At the same time, efforts are continuing to remove rocks and assess the stability of the hillside in order to fully reopen the road as soon as possible.

The Department of Highways is urging motorists to exercise extra caution when travelling through the area, strictly follow warning signs, traffic signals and officials’ instructions, as rain is continuing and additional rockfalls may occur.

For road information or to report highway emergencies, the public can contact the Department of Highways hotline at 1586, available 24 hours a day.

On Saturday, the highway between Mae Sariang district and Sob Moei district in Mae Hong Son, as well as Highway 1194 between Mae Sariang and Mae Sam Laeb, was temporarily rendered impassable by flash floods.