Thailand: Four killed and 10 injured after crane collapses onto motorway notorious for 'never-ending' construction work

The crane had been installing precast concrete segments on an elevated motorway when it buckled along the Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon province early this morning (Friday 29 November). Local media reported 39 workers were on duty during the collapse.

Twenty-five were safe, four were killed, and 10 were injured and sent to different hospitals. Samut Sakhon governor Naris Niramaiwong inspected the site following the accident. He said: "We will speed up clearing the site to resume traffic on Rama II Road promptly."

The Rama II Road is notorious for its 'never-ending' construction work. The area is the site of many construction-related accidents, frequently resulting in worker fatalities.

On July 31, 2022, a concrete beam fell onto traffic below, killing two people and injuring two others. On May 7, 2023, a slab of precast concrete smashed onto the road. Four vehicles were damaged and one worker was killed.

On December 15, 2023, a steel post collapsed, injuring one person and crushing another to death. On January 18, a worker plunged to his death when his crane basket plummeted to the ground due to a sling failure.