In the heart of Narathiwat province lies the tranquil yet bustling Chanae district, where life took a dramatic turn early in the morning on March 19, 2025. The air hung heavy with the news of an unexpected calamity that jolted the local community awake. The famed Ai Bue Tae bridge, a lifeline for commuters and residents alike, succumbed to its hidden wounds, claiming one life and leaving three others injured.
The sun had barely stirred from its slumber, casting a faint glow over the Chanae district when Phichit Rungprasert, the district chief, received a call that no leader wishes to hear. An urgent message from the village head of Ban Ai Bue Tae, Mueang subdistrict, reported the devastating collapse of their beloved bridge. The immediate response was akin to a well-rehearsed symphony, with district defense volunteers, local leaders, soldiers, and village health volunteers converging on the site, determined to help those ensnared by tragedy.
Among the metallic rubble and scattered debris, a green Toyota pickup truck clung precariously, its front wheels wedged between the collapsed second and third sections of the bridge. The scene was topped off by a solitary spare tire hanging at an awkward angle, adding to the chaotic tableau. Nearby, a black Honda motorcycle rested glumly about three meters away, submerged in the five-meter-deep waters of the Ai Bue Tae canal below. Rescue workers acted with practiced urgency, ferrying the injured to Chanae Hospital with remarkable speed.
In the somber aftermath, the name of the deceased echoed through the district—27-year-old Aman Jehma, whose life was claimed by the untimely collapse. Those injured in this tragic event included Waeismae Ma, aged 31, who bore a painful injury to his right thigh. With him was Marawi Malironae, a young 19-year-old left with wounds to the head, a sore right arm, and a grazed knee—a testament to his unfortunate brush with fate. Completing the trio of injured was 30-year-old Asree Yuso, who experienced alarming chest pain alongside a knee injury. The air hummed with the soft echoes of condolences as Aman’s family began the somber rituals in Si Sakhon district.
Standing as an engineering sentinel for over three decades, the Ai Bue Tae bridge, measuring an impressive 120 meters in length and seven meters in width, had long served the community. Alas, its years were marked by the scars of floods past. From November 26 to November 29 of the previous year, the bridge’s underwater support structure bore the brunt of unruly floods, too subtle for the eye but devastating over time.
As Wanlop Jindapetch, Deputy Director of Narathiwat Highways, soberly explained, the bridge’s tragic fall was a result of water steadily eroding its support columns. Without intervention, three sections crumbled, dragging two support pillars into the water’s grasp. Though allocated for restoration under a prospective 2024 central budget, fate had other plans, striking before repairs could begin. The tragedy prompted a swift response: temporary closures, diversions near Baan Ai Bue Tae, and efforts to recover the beleaguered vehicles.
The cold reality of the accident unfolded with the rising dawn. Inside the embattled pickup truck, Waeismae and Asree traveled toward a garden, unknowing participants in this fateful chapter. On his motorcycle, Aman, with 19-year-old Marawi aboard, ventured toward a logging site in Sukhirin district, oblivious to the peril lying in wait. As both vehicles ventured across the bridge, it gave way beneath them, setting a cruel domino effect into motion—the tragic loss of Aman and injuries to his companions etched into Chanae’s collective memory.
Faced with the harsh spotlight of urgency, Phichit directed a rigorous inspection of all bridges within flood-stricken locales, an earnest vow to safeguard against future disasters befalling the community once more. The Ai Bue Tae incident serves as a haunting reminder of the delicate balance between nature’s unyielding power and human ingenuity.
The story of Ai Bue Tae bridge and its untimely demise now sits solemnly in Narathiwat’s annals, a tale of caution urging vigilance in the dance between earth and infrastructure. Amid the waves of recovery, life in Chanae district perseveres, with a renewed spirit of resilience guiding its way forward.
It’s infuriating that something like this could happen in the first place. Infrastructure neglect is a ticking time bomb, and it’s the innocent people who pay the price!
Totally agree. The government should take responsibility and ensure that proper maintenance is conducted regularly.
But with tight budgets, how are they supposed to balance maintenance with other pressing needs? It’s a juggling act.
Honestly, I think residents should report visible issues more proactively. They live there after all.
That’s a valid point, but it still doesn’t excuse lack of professional inspections. Local residents aren’t engineers.
Poor Aman and the others… it’s just heart-wrenching to hear about these lives cut short because of negligence.
I wonder if climate change is playing a role. More severe weather could mean these kinds of collapses are only going to get more frequent.
Climate change is an ongoing threat, but blaming it alone lets the authorities off the hook. Maintenance still matters.
This highlights the intersection between human constructs and the relentless forces of nature. Our advancements are ceaselessly tested by the environment.
Most people aren’t thinking so philosophically about it; they’re just angry or sad.
Why wasn’t the bridge repaired sooner? If it was scheduled for 2024 and this happened now, surely someone knew the risk.
Bureaucracy and lack of funds probably. It’s infuriating, but common.
That’s no excuse when lives are at stake. Monitoring and quick action are key.
Such sad news. It’s too bad the bridge that served them so well became their coffin.
I can’t imagine the fear they must have felt. Heartbreaking.
There needs to be an independent investigation. Was there corruption that led to lack of maintenance?
Reminder of how we are so reliant on infrastructure that can fail any minute. Be prepared, people!
It’s not practical for everyone to constantly live in fear of failures. We should be able to rely on our civil infrastructures.
True, but we can’t ignore reality. Safety sometimes means taking matters into our own hands, too.
The fact that this bridge wasn’t fixed years ago is scandalous considering all the floods it has faced.
This tragedy shows that even areas with strong community ties can be caught off guard by unaddressed hazards.
I hope it strengthens the community’s resolve to scrutinize and push for infrastructural safety where they can.
I think we owe it to the victims to raise awareness about this so more people question and demand better infrastructure checks.
Public pressure needs to be immense to force change. People move on too quickly otherwise.
Spot on. It’s typical that everyone forgets once the crisis isn’t front-page news anymore.
Somebody should make a documentary about these accidents to really bring stories like this to the world’s attention.
Might not be a bad idea. Visual narratives are powerful.
Really hope this forces officials to take more serious steps in monitoring bridges.
We can hope, but more often than not, it’s forgotten until the next disaster.