Rescue underway for worker fallen into deep Bangkok hole, says BMA

The search for a construction worker who fell into a 19-metre-deep hole at a Bangkok metro site has lasted 24 hours with no success.

The victim, identified as Dao, a native of Sisaket province, was reportedly buried under soil near Soi Lan Luang 6 in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district on Monday afternoon (May 19).

Suriyachai Rawiwan, director of the Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, said that based on the overall assessment of the situation, it is believed the victim has likely died due to the accumulation of soil and water, which has prevented air from reaching him.

The next step is to determine the exact location of the body, as the hole is approximately 19 to 21 metres deep. The hard soil layer lies at about 16 metres. Officials have placed steel plates fashioned into a rectangular box to prevent further soil from sliding into the hole.

The rescue plan involves digging a parallel shaft to allow the soil inside the accident site to flow out. Meanwhile, personnel will oversee and continue the search from above. It is estimated the body is no deeper than 15 to 16 metres. 

“Efforts are being expedited to complete the work before nightfall to facilitate the operation,” he said.

Regarding the cause of the incident, Suriyachai said the department has yet to discuss the details but is focusing primarily on finding the victim. The relevant authorities will conduct a further investigation.

Preliminary information from officials at the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) indicates that the soil subsidence occurred at the piling point, causing the victim to slip and fall into the hole. Coincidentally, a water pipe burst at the same time, resulting in water flooding into the site.



Suriyachai said the main challenges in the rescue operation are the confined working space and the nature of the soil, which is clay and very slippery. 

“This has caused the steel plates to be at risk of sliding into the hole at any moment,” he said, “To prevent this, the plates on all four sides are being continuously welded, which takes considerable time to ensure safety.”

As for initial compensation, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has pledged full support and will facilitate the victim’s family in coming to the site to follow the search efforts.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt, along with officials from Nang Loeng Police Station, SRT, Bangkok Fire and Rescue Department, the Social Security Office and City Law Enforcement Department, visited the scene to monitor the progress of the rescue operation.

Chadchart revealed that, as the missing person has not yet been found, work continues to expand the excavation area. 



“The situation is expected to improve since sheet piles are in place on all four sides to hold back the soil, allowing deeper digging. The goal is to locate the missing worker within today,” he said.

Excavation using a backhoe will proceed to a maximum depth of 10 metres to avoid damaging nearby infrastructure, including buildings and utility poles. Beyond that depth, manual digging will be carried out until the victim is found.

(2025/05/20-00:00)