Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail Tunnel Collapse in Nakhon Ratchasima Traps Three Foreign

[misskit]

At 11:30 PM on August 24th, 2024, Thai national media reported a section of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail tunnel in Khlong Khanan Chit, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima, had collapsed, trapping three foreign workers inside.

According to Thai national media, the collapse occurred approximately 600 meters deep within the tunnel, trapping three workers and burying three vehicles: an excavator, a truck, and a sedan.


Pak Chong Rescue teams and site officials were urgently working to locate and rescue the trapped workers, but have yet to reach them. The fate of the three workers—Hu Xiang Min, a Chinese supervisor; Dong Xin Lin, a Chinese excavator operator; and an unnamed Burmese truck driver—remains unknown.

Nakhon Ratchasima Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum reportedly ordered an investigation into the cause of the tunnel collapse, which occurred 3-4 kilometers from the tunnel’s entrance.
The specific cause of the collapse has not yet been determined, as of press time, and related agencies are conducting a thorough on-site investigation.

According to the report, the tunnel construction is part of Contract 3-2, covering the Muak Lek and Lam Takhong sections, spanning 12.23 kilometers in Nakhon Ratchasima. As of July 2024, the project was 74.06% complete.

Thai-Chinese High-Speed Rail Tunnel Collapse in Nakhon Ratchasima Traps Three Foreign Workers - The Pattaya News

[misskit]

Rescue Ongoing for Workers Trapped in Tunnel Collapse

Rescue efforts are ongoing in northeastern Thailand to reach three workers trapped by the collapse of a tunnel under construction for the new high-speed railway. The collapse occurred on Saturday night (Aug 24) about four kilometers from the entrance of the planned eight-kilometer tunnel in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima province.


Early this morning (Aug 26), a scanner detected signs of body heat and heartbeats from the missing men, raising hopes for their survival. The trapped workers include a Chinese construction supervisor, a Chinese backhoe operator, and a Myanmar truck driver. Rescuers were seen carefully removing soil and rocks using a backhoe, but fresh dirt and stone falls complicated the effort.


The tunnel is part of the Sino-Thai high-speed railway project, connecting Bangkok with Nong Khai province on the border with Laos. The Transport Ministry has indicated that sections of a rescue tube are being gradually pushed through the blocked tunnel. The tube, which is 1.20 meters in diameter and six meters long, will allow air to be pumped in and emergency supplies to be delivered to the trapped men. Rescuers hope to eventually create an opening large enough to evacuate the workers safely.

https://thainews.prd.go.th/nbtworld/.../525108/?bid=1

[beachbound]

Thai-Chinese high-speed rail tunnel collapse

Can’t understand what could’ve gone wrong. That’s a real head scratcher.

[misskit]

Thai rescue team recovers body from Korat tunnel, two still trapped

BANGKOK: The rescue team has retrieved a body from the high-speed railway tunnel in Nakhon Ratchasima which collapsed six days ago and believes it is that of the Myanmar dump truck driver.

After the discovery of the body at 11am on Thursday, the team has intensified its efforts to find the other two trapped workers.


The rescue team, comprising officials from the State Railway of Thailand and Hunan Sunshine Company from China, told reporters that the worker had died by the time they got to him. The body is yet to be identified.


After the landslide, which struck at 11.40pm on Saturday (Aug 24), the Chinese contractor said two Chinese nationals (a foreman and worker) and a Myanmar worker, were trapped inside the tunnel.


Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum, provincial police chief Pol Maj-General Narongrit Dansuwan, and Dr Udom Assawutmangkul, chief of public health area 9, provided updates to the press on Thursday (Aug 29).


Chaiwat said the rescue team spotted the body and called for help from the medical team, which rushed in only to find the worker had died.


He added that signs of life have been detected from further inside the tunnel, though rescue efforts have been slowed by concerns of additional landslides.

He said once support structures have been put up later in the day, a team of K9 sniffer dogs will be sent in to locate the other two men.


The body, meanwhile, has been sent for an autopsy at the Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Dr Udom said.


Narongrit said the body was found lying next to a dump truck, adding that the time of death has yet to be determined. -

Thai rescue team recovers body from Korat tunnel, two still trapped | The Star

[misskit]

Remains of two Chinese recovered from collapsed train tunnel

The remains of two Chinese nationals, trapped inside a collapsed train tunnel in Nakhon Ratchasima since August 24th, were recovered this afternoon and have been taken to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for identification.


This morning, Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Governor Chaiwat Chuenkosum told the media that he had received a report from the rescue team at about 6am, informing him that the two missing Chinese nationals, a supervisor and an excavator driver, had been found dead inside the collapsed tunnel.


He added that the remains of the two victims could not be removed from the collapsed tunnel due to obstructions. The remains of a Burmese worker was recovered yesterday and taken to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for identification and autopsy.


The tunnel is under construction as part of the Thai-Chinese high-speed train project, running from Nong Khai to Bangkok.


The governor said that the rescue operations have already been called off and most of the rescue workers have been withdrawn from the tunnel in Pak Chong district.


The rescue workers are reported to have worked throughout last night to locate the two Chinese nationals, but had encountered many obstacles, including concrete blocks and boulders, blocking access to the victims’ locations.


The 126-hour rescue operation began not long after it was reported that the ceiling of the tunnel had caved in, at 11.40pm on August 14th.
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was scheduled to visit the tunnel at about 9am this morning.

Remains of two Chinese recovered from collapsed train tunnel

[Seekingasylum]

In developing the underground train network in Bangkok the Thai sensibly contracted European companies for their expertise and skills not least because of the experience they acquired in the Channel tunnel construction.

Pity they handed this project to the Commies.

[BLD]

In developing the underground train network in Bangkok the Thai sensibly contracted European companies for their expertise and skills not least because of the experience they acquired in the Channel tunnel construction.

Pity they handed this project to the Commies.

not sticking up for the chinky barstards because we all know they have there own agenda . But they built a pretty impressive rail link from the chink / lao border through mountainous terrain in fact the luang prabang to vientiane leg you rarely see sunlight your in tunnel's mostly. Not sure what the thais were upto there? But it can't be compared with the Chunnell. Such boring equipment of that calibre probably doesn't exist in Thailand?

[harrybarracuda]

After the landslide, which struck at 11.40pm on Saturday (Aug 24), the Chinese contractor said two Chinese nationals (a foreman and worker) and a Myanmar worker, were trapped inside the tunnel.

"Belt and Owed" innit.

Chink bastards at it again.

[Troy]

European companies for their expertise and skills not least because of the experience they acquired in the Channel tunnel construction.

...with only 10 workers killed, mainly during the early construction phase.

[Mendip]

...with only 10 workers killed, mainly during the early construction phase.

There were more than that. The French didn't count the sub-contractors killed.

Three were killed while I worked on the UK side of the Channel Tunnel during 1990, two underground and one at the harbour wall.

A sparky was killed when working on a 12,000 volt cable (that powered a TBM). A banksman was killed by a spoil train while to listening to his Sony Walkman and not hearing a train coming. Both of these deaths could be argued as caused by personal negligence.

A diver was crushed on the harbour wall by pipework, but I know no details about that fatality.

I often wish that I'd stayed working in tunneling as it was very interesting work, but it was hazardous and the conditions were pretty bad for long term health. The air quality was awful... we occasionally had 'surprise' visits by the HSE, but of course it was impossible for the HSE to pay a surprise visit to a worksite a few kilometres up a tunnel with only one entrance. We knew when the HSE were coming as all the mining equipment was miraculously 'under maintenance' and the air was crystal clear.

[taxexile]

^

a ditch digger speaks.

[BLD]

^

a ditch digger speaks.

a dental surgeon would have no idea how things work in the real world.

[david44]

Such boring equipment of that calibre probably doesn't exist in Thailand?

You never visited Thai Visa

[david44]

a dental surgeon would have no idea how things work in the real world.

Holy Molle Grate excavators!

As the archaeologists say

"OUR FUTURE IS IN RUINS'

[misskit]

Rail Tunnel Collapse Sparks Safety Probe

Authorities have launched an investigation into the recent collapse of a rail tunnel in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima, which resulted in the deaths of three workers. The investigation team, led by Pak Chong police, will interview workers, contractors, and representatives from engineering bodies, including the Council of Engineers and the Engineering Institute of Thailand. The probe will also review the findings of the State Railway of Thailand's inquiry to determine whether the construction adhered to design, regulations, and safety standards.


The tunnel collapse, which occurred on the night of August 27, was triggered after prolonged heavy rain. The victims, two Chinese nationals and one Myanmar worker were inside the tunnel, located 1.5 kilometers from its entrance when the structure gave way. Rescue efforts, hampered by ongoing rail construction and challenging conditions, resulted in the retrieval of the bodies over two days.


Construction of the tunnel has been temporarily halted as engineers and contractors discuss measures to ensure safety before proceeding. Experts have stressed the need for careful consideration of soil and rock conditions in complex construction projects, particularly when employing techniques such as “drill and blast,” which, while cost-effective, require stringent safety measures to prevent such incidents.

https://thainews.prd.go.th/nbtworld/.../539995/?bid=1

[Troy]

The investigation team, led by Pak Chong police

That is not the best way to lead a safety investigation if you want to improve by learning from your mistakes. Involving the Police will make it appear more like a criminal investigation and those interviewed will be very wary.

[malmomike77]

That is not the best way to lead a safety investigation if you want to improve by learning from your mistakes. Involving the Police will make it appear more like a criminal investigation and those interviewed will be very wary.

Perhaps pak chong police have a specialist infrastructure investigation team.

Attention needs to focus on the contract for bamboo and eucalyptus props and the quality thereof. I bet they only used 1 1/2 inch instead of the Thai industry standard of 2 inches.

[Seekingasylum]

Perhaps pak chong police have a specialist infrastructure investigation team.

.

[Troy]

^ I was making the point that European construction, despite HSE, still has its fair share of accidents and deaths.

[Mendip]

Yeah for sure, there are still accidents and deaths but fatalities are now a rarity and it's certainly a lot safer than it used to be.

They used to reckon on a man a mile in tunneling and that was just accepted.

If a project manager has a fatality on a project these days, it pretty much ends his career. I could be wrong but I think that the vast majority of accidents in construction now are with small sub-contractors with poor work practices. The big outfits have pretty much cleaned up their acts, they had to as any bids now start with the safety record which takes precedent over technical ability and price. A poor safety record and you don't even get on the bid list.