The Department of Highways (DOH) has collaborated with the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) to dismantle the LG steel structure at the Rama 2 incident site, emphasizing the highest safety standards at every stage. They are also expediting compensation for those affected, while gathering data to verify the engineering causes and uncover the facts.
20 Jan 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisan, Director-General of the Department of Highways (DOH) revealed progress on the management of the site area for the construction project of Motorway No. 82, Bang Khun Thian - Ekachai - Ban Phaeo route. Regarding the incident where the Launching Gantry (LG) steel structure collapsed on Rama 2 Road, he stated that currently the DOH has joined forces with the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) and the contracting company to establish a special task force to manage the dismantling of the steel structure and its components. Every step follows a plan and engineering standards jointly reviewed and strictly enforced by all three parties to ensure maximum safety for the public and workers.
Regarding the latest progress, the DOH engineering team, together with EIT experts and the contractor, have mobilized heavy machinery to successfully lift and separate the main truss sections onto the ground completely. This operation is closely overseen by a joint safety committee. The workforce is now split into two teams to expedite cutting the steel pieces into sizes suitable for transport out of the area. The highway police and local agencies are cooperating to facilitate traffic flow and minimize disruption to road users.
However, around 11:00 a.m., a small fire broke out caused by sparks from gas cutting igniting oil residues and flammable materials at the site. The onsite rescue team quickly used four fire extinguishers to contain the fire initially before firefighters arrived and fully controlled the blaze by about 11:30 a.m. No injuries or fatalities were reported. To prevent recurrence, water spraying was implemented around potential spark zones during the steel cutting work.
Additionally, the DOH and EIT experts jointly assessed the structural integrity of adjacent structures potentially affected by the incident to inform engineering analysis. Preliminary inspections revealed two urgent risk points requiring further examination: two spans of an elevated structure impacted by the incident and a section of the Tha Chin River bridge that has yet to connect. The DOH is preparing detailed plans and procedures to discuss and seek engineering advice from EIT to ensure safety standards are thoroughly met before proceeding to the next steps.
Regarding assistance for the families of the deceased, the DOH has finalized initial compensation totaling 1,705,000 baht per case, comprising 20,000 baht in royal condolence funds (including royal patronage for the deceased's remains), 35,000 baht for preliminary damages, and 500,000 baht in insurance compensation under the Motor Vehicle Victims Protection Act, as well as 1,150,000 baht compensation from Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited.
This amount excludes other sources of support, such as retirement benefits from the Social Security Fund, compensation under the Victims Compensation Act and Criminal Case Expenses Act (Ministry of Justice), and disaster relief funds (Prime Minister's Office regulations). The DOH has assigned staff to assist bereaved families in preparing and submitting documents to ensure full receipt of compensation.
As for the investigation progress, the fact-finding committee from the Ministry of Transport and DOH is currently evaluating initial engineering hypotheses regarding the LG structure collapse cause and is actively collecting relevant data, documents, and evidence to establish the facts and reasons behind the incident.
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