The Thai Highways Department has ordered the suspension of the construction of the elevated motorway on the Rama II highway until this Friday, to allow inspectors to check the safety measures.

The department’s director-general, Sarawut Songsivilai, said that the temporary halt is necessary to ensure public safety, after the department had received several complaints from motorists about construction materials falling from the site onto the road, causing damage to passing vehicles.

He said that, initially, inspectors were given five days to complete the checks, but they could ask for an extension and permission will be granted on case-by-case basis.

Construction of the elevated motorway, known as the M82, between Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian district and Ban Phaeo district in Samut Sakhon province, covering a distance of 24.7 kilometres, is divided in 14 contracts.

Sarawut also said that the department has sought cooperation from the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) to remind its contractors undertaking the construction of the Rama III-Dao Khanong-outer ring road project, covering a distance of 18.7 kilometres, of the need to ensure public safety during construction.

On July 31st, a beam from the U-turn flyover bridge, under construction on Rama II highway in Samut Sakhon province, fell onto the road, killing two people and injuring two others in a car.