Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has ordered traffic adjustments around the Sept 24 sinkhole on Samsen Road ahead of the new school term, which begins next Monday.
The affected section remains under repair, with key tasks still pending — including the demolition of the Samsen police station building, damaged by the subsidence, and the removal of soil that entered the MRT Purple Line’s underground tunnel.
In response to government instructions, the Traffic and Transportation Department (TTD) on Tuesday submitted a plan to reorganise traffic flows around the area, particularly near Vajira Hospital, which sits adjacent to the subsided zone.
From Monday, temporary traffic measures will be in place during rush hours — 5.30-9.00am and 2.00-5.00pm — to ease congestion in the neighbourhood, home to several schools and universities.
Disruption is expected to continue as demolition of the police station’s damaged building proceeds, alongside safety inspections of nearby police flats and other structures, said a source familiar with the operation.
Work to refill the sinkhole with concrete, sand, and crushed rock remains incomplete, pending full demolition of the building. More than 1,800 cubic metres of material have been poured into the hole so far, the source said, adding that demolition should be completed within a week.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul inspected the site on Monday stressing the need to uphold the highest safety and engineering standards.
“Maximum security and engineering standards must be maintained to ensure total public safety both now and after the road reopens,” he said.
Prof Amorn Pimanmas, president of the Thailand Structural Engineers Association, also announced that certified structural engineers oversaw the installation of seismometers to measure ground vibrations, which must not exceed 10-20 millimetres per second during demolition and repairs, Prof Amorn said.
Meanwhile, the House special committee on construction safety standards has summoned contractors involved in the underground rail project, engineers repairing the road, and relevant police officials to testify on Wednesday.