Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul made an urgent late-night inspection of the Wongwian Yai construction site of the MRT Purple Line South project in Bangkok early Thursday, following a water leak in an underground sump that raised public safety concerns.
Accompanied by some Cabinet members, including Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, Anutin arrived at the Wongwian Yai roundabout at 12.05am this morning to assess the situation first-hand.
The leak inside the underground station sump, part of the Tao Poon-Rat Burana extension, was first detected on Wednesday morning. The situation was exacerbated by continuous rainfall throughout the day, which caused water levels inside the excavation area to rise.
Speaking at the site, the prime minister assured the public that the situation remains under control and that engineering teams are actively working to plug the leak.
"The entire situation is being handled and evaluated on strict engineering principles. At this stage, the water level inside the tunnel has not reached a point that requires road closures," Anutin said.
He sought to downplay fears of a major structural collapse, drawing a sharp contrast between this incident and a previous construction mishap near Vajira Hospital, during which a tunnel collapse caused the surface road to cave in.
"This case is different because the leak was detected early. We have been managing and maintaining the water levels since yesterday morning and there are currently no signs of rising water further," he added.
To ensure public safety, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has installed movement sensors on nearby buildings to monitor any structural shifts. No unusual movements have been recorded so far, though officials remain on high alert.
When asked by reporters if the midnight inspection was prompted by fears of history repeating itself, Anutin acknowledged the gravity of past incidents, saying "We have learned bitter lessons from what happened at Vajira Hospital… That is why we must be fully prepared today, both in terms of early warning systems and public assistance. Public safety is our absolute priority."
The prime minister concluded that, after thorough briefings with the MRTA governor, consultant engineers and contractors, all parties have confidence that they have full control over the situation and are working to restore normality as quickly as possible.
