Phiphat clarified that the 100% closure means closing only the risky points where the crane collapsed, not permanently closing the entire Rama 2 Road. He emphasized the highest level of public safety without shielding contractors and ordered the Department of Highways to develop detailed traffic plans to handle repairs on the M82 structure.
25 Jan 2026 GMT+7 Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, addressed public concerns regarding the approach to solving the problem of the accident during the construction of Motorway M82 Section 7 on Rama 2 Road, particularly about the issue of a “100% construction area closure.” He reiterated to clarify that the term “100% closure,” as announced on Friday, 23 January, does not mean permanently closing the entire Rama 2 Road. Nor does it mean forcing the public to endure unnecessary traffic congestion. It refers to closing only the specific sections that urgently require repair of damaged construction work as soon as possible, while minimizing impact on the public, ensuring 100% safety.
“I have heard concerns from the public worried that government agencies are favoring contractors to make work easier without considering public difficulties. I want to affirm this is not true. The government has no policy to protect negligent contractors. Legal penalties and investigations into blacklisting remain firmly in place.”
Mr. Phiphat further stated that he will not tolerate work risks affecting the public, such as construction lifting materials above traffic routes or severely damaged structures. In such cases, temporary closure of the affected area is strictly enforced to ensure public safety on designated routes free from construction hazards. While facilitating traffic is important, public life safety is paramount. Therefore, he has ordered the Department of Highways to manage traffic during repairs to minimize public travel disruption.
Meanwhile, Mr. Piyapong Jiwattanakulpaisan, Director-General of the Department of Highways, detailed the removal of the damaged bridge deck section struck by the collapsed LG crane and the concrete pouring to connect the cantilever beam across the Tha Chin River (Closure) for dismantling temporary scaffolding from kilometer 29+100 to 32+100, a 3 km stretch. He said the department understands that closing main lanes affects travel, so it has prepared traffic management plans and impact assessments to help the public plan their trips clearly as follows.
1. Physical data and traffic management
Normal status: The main lanes consist of 3 lanes, and the frontage road has 2 lanes, totaling 5 lanes per direction or 10 lanes for two directions.
During the repair closure (km 29+100 to km 32+100): The entire main lanes (3 lanes) will be 100% closed for maximum safety during bridge deck removal and concrete pouring to connect the cantilever beam. The frontage road remains open with 2 lanes per direction, totaling 4 lanes in both directions. Additional measures include modifying connecting road geometry and entry-exit points to reduce bottlenecks and improve traffic flow.
2. Impact assessment: Traffic engineering calculations estimate a capacity reduction of about 60%. During peak hours, queues may extend about 4 kilometers. Therefore, traffic police and volunteer officers will be stationed at detour points 24 hours a day.
The Department of Highways will schedule work sequences to minimize closure duration, closing main lanes in both directions only as necessary. Some days may close only one direction’s main lanes to restore 3 lanes per direction for better flow, possibly using reversible lanes to ease congestion. Coordination with relevant agencies will manage traffic at Rama 2 Road entry-exit points to enhance frontage road flow, especially during rush hours.
Regarding engineering progress, the expert team has safely removed the LG crane wreckage and damaged parts. Urgent tasks include 1) removing the damaged bridge deck section hit by the LG crane, and 2) pouring concrete to connect the cantilever bridge beam across the Tha Chin River to strengthen the structure and dismantle temporary scaffolding. The work is expected to take no more than 60 days, from 24 January to 27 March 2026.
The Department of Highways has enhanced safety measures in five dimensions per Mr. Phiphat’s orders, emphasizing that all costs for removal, hiring independent experts, and increased safety measures must be borne solely by the contractor (ITD). The department apologizes for any inconvenience and asks for public cooperation to plan travel ahead or use detours publicized through various media. For route information or emergencies, contact the Department of Highways hotline 1586 (toll-free 24 hours).