NAKHON RATCHASIMA — The search operation for three missing people in a tunnel built as part of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project in Nakhon Ratchasima ended in tragedy. The bodies of the three missing workers were found lifeless.
The operation lasted more than 126 hours following the tunnel collapse on August 24 at 11:40 p.m. in the Klong Khanan Chit section of Chanthuek sub-district, Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima Province.
On August 30, at around 6:00 a.m., the Rescue Team, including personnel from the Hunan Sunshine company from China, discovered the bodies of two more deceased workers: Mr. Hu Xiangmin, a Chinese national and construction manager, and Mr. Tong Qinlin, a Chinese national and contractor. This followed the recovery of the body of a worker from Myanmar on August 29.
The rescuers dug out the ground and built a support box through the pile of earth to get into the tunnel, about three meters from the original spot where the first body was found. The two recovered bodies were then taken to hospital for autopsies.
An autopsy report from Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital on the Myanmar worker revealed that the cause of death was asphyxiation and that he probably died on the day of the incident. The reported signs of life on Wednesday, August 28, which gave the rescue team hope, could have been caused by the movement of objects at the construction site, such as falling rocks and soil.
Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, stated that the government’s rescue mission for this incident has now concluded. The site will be handed over to the project owner, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The investigation will be the responsibility of the police authorities.
He further said that after monitoring the rescue mission on-site for the past four days, he can confirm that all operatives have devoted all available manpower, including K-9 police dogs, and resources to assist the victims trapped in the tunnel. The outcome is something that all parties regret, as they were unable to save the lives of all three workers.
Ekkarat Sriarayanpong, Head of the Governor’s Office of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), expressed his deepest condolences on behalf of the SRT and assured the families of the deceased of support. He also thanked all the rescue teams, government officials and private sector workers who participated in the search and rescue efforts that led to the recovery of the three trapped workers.
The Khlong Phai tunnel, located in the area of Khlong Khanan Chit, Chanthuek sub-district, Pak Chong district, is the third tunnel of the construction project and stretches over 1.5 kilometers. The search teams faced constant challenges as the ground above the tunnel was slipping, which prolonged the excavation.
In addition, the laying of the life-saving pipes encountered rock, forcing officials to resort to building a support box to prevent additional soil and rock from falling.
Earlier, Suriya Jungrungreangkit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transportation, had stated that the construction of this tunnel was the responsibility of the Nawarat Patanakarn Public Company Limited. When asked about the presence of Chinese workers on the project, he replied that the company probably appreciates the expertise of Chinese companies in building high-speed tunnels and has therefore hired specialists for their skills.
According to the Department of Enterprise Development under the Ministry of Commerce, Nawarat Patanakarn was registered on February 17, 1995 with a registered capital of 2.585 billion baht ($760 million).
The company is active in the service sector, particularly in the construction of non-residential buildings. The financial report for the year 2023 shows a total revenue of 10.12 billion baht($297 million) and a net loss of 925.36 million baht ($27 million).
________
Related article:
Tunnel Collapse while Constructing Wall at High-Speed Rail Project in Korat
