The Department of Highways (DoH) is swiftly taking action to compensate the bereaved families of the tragic crane collapse victims on Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon. This heart-wrenching incident unfolded at the crack of dawn on November 29th at the elevated Ekkachai-Ban Phaeo Intercity Motorway 82 (M82) project, resulting in the unfortunate demise of six workers – comprising two Thai nationals and four workers from Myanmar.
Apirat Chaiwongnoi, the diligent director-general of the Office of Occupational Safety and Health Area 7 in Ratchaburi, under the watchful eye of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, has played a pivotal role in dispatching the Samut Sakhon Social Security Office to expedite compensation arrangements for the families who have lost their loved ones.
“Our utmost priority is to ensure that compensation reaches these grieving families without delay, while simultaneously providing rightful assistance to the injured,” emphasized Mr. Apirat, echoing the DoH’s determination to extend a helping hand during this difficult time.
In the aftermath of the calamity, workers are tirelessly engaged in clearing the remnants of the construction site. With a commitment to restoring normalcy, the clean-up efforts are slated for completion by December 14th. A replacement crane will be meticulously positioned to facilitate the removal of debris, under the vigilant supervision of seasoned experts and engineers, ensuring safety remains paramount, as Mr. Apirat highlighted.
Amidst this turmoil, traffic congestion has amplified around the accident site. In a bid to alleviate this, vehicles heading towards Samut Sakhon are being redirected to a contraflow lane, operational daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., until the clean-up concludes.
The inaugural day of the lane’s activation, which happened to be a Sunday, witnessed significant traffic snarls in the vicinity of the construction zone. As a proactive measure, law enforcement officials are stationed nearby to efficiently manage the traffic flow, Mr. Apirat assured.
Learnings from the unfortunate incident have spurred the installation of specialised sensors on critical infrastructure components, aimed at monitoring irregular movements that might flag potential failures. This proactive stance stands testament to the commitment of the technicians to ward off similar accidents in the future, and assure public safety, as Mr. Apirat elaborated.
This is a tragic event, but I hope the compensations really reach the families soon.
I agree, but sometimes these promises take ages to come through. The bureaucracy is always a hurdle.
That’s true, Helen. Let’s hope they cut through the red tape this time for the sake of the families affected.
It’s good to see safety measures being ramped up, but isn’t this a little too late? After six lives are lost?
I share your frustration, Jack. These measures should have been implemented from the start. Prevention is better than cure.
My heart goes out to the families, especially with the holidays coming up. This compensation should have been immediate.
Sadly, tragedies like these often highlight the flaws in our insurance and compensation systems.
True, Eric. Maybe this incident will trigger a much-needed reform.
I wonder why an accident like this was allowed to happen in the first place. Aren’t there strict regulations?
As someone from the construction industry, these accidents are sometimes unavoidable, but they are a stark reminder to prioritize safety.
I get that accidents happen, but can’t there be more checks and balances in place?
They are in place, Kelly. But often, implementation is lacking due to cost-cutting pressures.
It’s evident there’s negligence involved. Those responsible should face consequences.
Who do you think is really responsible here: the company or the government overseeing this project?
Could be both. Often, there’s a mix-up in roles and responsibilities which leads to such disasters.
These proactive approaches with sensors seem good, but let’s wait to see if they really help in real-time prevention.
I think redirecting the traffic is a great move, but it’s still a temporary fix. Can’t they expedite the cleanup?
Anand, speeding up might compromise safety even more. Sometimes it’s better to be cautious.
I see your point, Yuri. I just hope they balance speed with safety.
I’m skeptical about the replacement crane being any safer. How do we know it’s different from the first?
I hope they learn from this incident. It’s too late for those who’ve lost their lives, but future lives can be saved.
I feel like this won’t be the last accident unless there’s a major overhaul in how construction sites are monitored.
While compensation is good, it’s merely a band-aid on a bullet wound. Only systemic change can prevent such tragedies.
As a commuter, the contraflow has been a nightmare. I understand the reason for it but it’s been really hard to manage.
It’s a small sacrifice for a greater cause, Joe. Imagine what good it does in preventing more chaos.
You’re right, Bob. I just hope it doesn’t last beyond December 14th as planned.
I actually think distributing the compensation is smart for PR, but they need to make sure this doesn’t happen again.
It’s sad that tragedies always seem to be required to bring about change.