Footage shows the moment a dam collapses, pulling a house into the Bang Pakong River. The homeowner now sleeps in a tent, guarding valuables he managed to save. He revealed that it took nearly 20 years of saving and building to have this house. Local authorities are rushing to coordinate assistance.
At 15:08 yesterday (3 May 2026), a house collapsed into the Bang Pakong River near Wat Saichon Na Rangsi along the riverbank in Ban Mai Subdistrict, Mueang Chachoengsao District. The riverbank and dam structure severely subsided, causing the concrete pillars that supported the structure to fail and collapse. CCTV footage from a nearby home clearly recorded the incident, showing that shortly after the pillars failed, a large concrete slab sank into the river, dragging down Mr. Asawin's house, which was built right on the riverbank, resulting in the total destruction of the house.
This morning (4 May 2026), Mr. Pratree Wijop, district chief of Mueang Chachoengsao, along with Mr. Suthep Sathit, the mayor of Ban Mai Subdistrict Administrative Organization, and community leaders, inspected the damage and provided initial relief supplies to the affected residents.
The district chief of Mueang Chachoengsao stated that he has ordered local agencies to promptly survey the nearby areas, as riverbank erosion along the Bang Pakong River is occurring at multiple points. Plans will be submitted at the provincial level to establish long-term solutions. Coordination with relevant agencies such as the Royal Irrigation Department and the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning will be arranged to address the problem seriously. Additionally, local authorities are working to find ways to assist residents of Ban Mai in repairing and rebuilding their homes.
Meanwhile, the mayor of Ban Mai Subdistrict Administrative Organization said they will urgently deploy equipment today to cut and separate cracked concrete slabs after discovering that fissures have expanded over more than one inch since yesterday's collapse. This is to prevent the remaining structure from further collapsing and causing additional damage. The work will be done before the water level drops today to avoid further harm.
Mr. Asawin Luechaitherakul, 30, the homeowner whose house was damaged, revealed that at the time of the collapse, he was out delivering river prawns. Upon hearing the news from his wife, he rushed back to see the house but was heartbroken. He said he had spent over 20 years working and saving to build and expand the house. Initially, he has moved valuable possessions to a relative's house and is now living in a tent near the site. He admitted he still does not know how to start over. For the past month, the house had been making cracking noises, but he never expected it to collapse.
Officials continue to closely monitor the situation due to concerns that the area may undergo further subsidence in the near future.
