Sudden road collapse shocks Bangkok this morning

50m-deep sinkhole opens up near Bangkok hospital, swallowing a tow truck, patients evacuated

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A humungous sinkhole about 50 metres deep opened up in front of a hospital in Bangkok's Dusit district on Sep. 24, amidst subway construction in the area.

Bangkok authorities announced immediate road closures as the sinkhole continued to expand, while patients and nearby residents were urgently evacuated as a precaution, Thai media reported.

No injuries have been reported thus far.

50-metre deep sinkhole​

At around 7am, traffic police reported that the road in front of Vajira Hospital on Bangkok's Samsen road had collapsed, The Nation Thailand reported.

Authorities cordoned off traffic to allow repairs to be conducted.

Samsen Fire and Rescue Station officers found that the sinkhole was 30 metres by 30 metres wide and 50 metres deep, Khaosod English reported.

Pictures and footage of the sinkhole showed a pickup truck on the verge of falling in, and a burst underground pipe.

A road closure of Samsen Road and the surrounding areas was announced by the Dusit district office.

Residents of nearby flats were also instructed to evacuate.

Road sank due to subway construction: Governor​

Two electricity poles and a tow truck from the nearby Samsen police station fell into the sinkhole as it expanded, The Nation Thailand reported.

A clip shared to X showed workers and passersby at the scene retreating as the sinkhole widened.

Vajira Hospital has since closed its outpatient service and evacuated all its patients, Thai PBS World reported.

Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said the road sank because soil collapsed into an underground tunnel during subway construction.

Repairs are ongoing.

Top image from Bangkok Metropolitan Administration/Facebook
 

Huge subsidence on Samsen Rd in Bangkok​

Vajira Hospital suspends outpatient services, moves some inpatients
PUBLISHED : 24 Sep 2025 at 10:51

UPDATED : 24 Sep 2025 at 11:34

NEWSPAPER SECTION: News

WRITER: Online Reporters

This section of Samsen Road in front of Vajira Hospital in Bangkok subsided on Wednesday. No casualties were reported. (Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration)
This section of Samsen Road in front of Vajira Hospital in Bangkok subsided on Wednesday. No casualties were reported. (Photo: Bangkok Metropolitan Administration)

A section of Samsen Road in front of Vajira Hospital subsided on Wednesday morning, forming a large hole about 50 metres deep. No injuries were reported.

The incident occurred around 7.13am, with the sinkhole estimated to be 30 metres wide and 30 metres long. It formed immediately above Vajira Hospital train station.

Traffic between Vajira and Sanghi intersections was closed for safety reasons, according to the Dusit District Office.

Outpatient services at the state hospital were suspended, and about 3,500 inpatients were evacuated from nearby buildings. An initial report indicated that hospital structures were not damaged.


Residents of nearby apartments were also instructed to evacuate.

Two electricity poles and a police vehicle fell into the hole after the collapse. Officials from the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) were on-site working.

The area was previously closed due to the construction of the Mass Rapid Transport (MRT) Purple Line (Tao Poon and Rat Burana extension).

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the subsidence. Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt and a team of officials were inspecting the scene.

Mr Chadchart said later the sinkhole formed above Vajira Hospital railway station, specifically at the junction between the tunnel and the station. The soil flowed into the tunnel, causing surrounding structures to collapse and a large water pipe to break, he said.

Authorities have cut off water and electricity to control the situation and prevent further risks. Other urgent measures ordered included sealing the tunnel leak, assessing the safety of surrounding buildings, monitoring soil movement and managing traffic in the area.

He said another critical concern was rainfall, which could cause more soil to flow into the openings. A team was set up to evalauate and respond to rainfall scenarios.

The state-owned hospital had suspended outpatient services for two days. Inpatient services remained operational. Other hospitals under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration were available for outpatient cases during this period, he said.

Meetings would be held at noon and 6pm daily to monitor the situation, the BMA said.
 
Does the sinkhole always happen beside the construction site? Our sinkhole is also near the construction site.
 
Northern Bangkok seems to have weak geological ground. The building that collapsed when April earthquake hits also in northern Bangkok...
 
Bangkok is collasping.
They need to move the capital out of bangkok.
 
What if the government thinks that a new capital is needed for thailand ?
 
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