Bangkok: Heavy rain yesterday led to a temporary halt in the ongoing demolition work at the Samsen Police Station building. Officials are now adjusting their strategy by utilizing robotic vehicles to dismantle the walls of the building to reduce its weight and prevent further subsidence. Efforts include drilling eight holes and filling them with cement grout to reinforce the underlying soil and sand.
According to Thai News Agency, the mission aims to address a sizable sinkhole on Samsen Road, measuring 30 x 30 meters wide and 20 meters deep. This sinkhole is located in front of Vajira Hospital, near the Purple Line construction project, in the Vajira Phayaban Subdistrict, Dusit District. The demolition of the Samsen Police Station building became necessary after subsidence was observed on September 24th.
Recently, a significant portion of the building’s structure has been demolished, particularly the section where the foundations are collapsing. The roof, walls, glass windows, various equipment, and the air compressor have been removed to reduce the building’s weight and further minimize subsidence risks.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Thanet Weerasiri, disaster advisor to the Council of Engineers, confirmed that the demolition on the right bank of the Samsen Police Station building is ongoing to mitigate further subsidence. Monitoring equipment shows a decrease in the building’s movement. There are no current signs of subsidence or structural movement in the nearby police flats and Vajira Hospital, though monitoring continues around the clock. Additional monitoring devices are being prepared for installation in the hospital parking lot.
To address the collapsed road pothole, officials are working to level the soil into steps near the commercial building to prevent further soil displacement. The demolition of the Samsen Police Station building remains a priority to facilitate safe inspection and repairs, although rain presents a significant challenge, causing work stoppages for safety.
Mr. Suriyachai Rawiwan, Director of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, noted that officials are adapting their plans following a recent landslide at the road surface near the Vachira Intersection. The site assessment revealed that the landslide has altered the area from a vertical to a more sloping configuration. As a result, machinery is being used to level the ground into an embankment to prevent additional road subsidence.
For the Samsen Police Station building demolition, initial equipment detected a movement of 4-5 millimeters. A robotic crane will be employed to dismantle parts of the building, reducing its weight. Additionally, officials aim to complete drilling all eight holes before injecting special cement, or grouting, to enhance stability. Six holes have been completed, with two pending. Sand will be added to a planned 7-meter height to restore the road surface.