MRT sinkhole sparks fears

The massive sinkhole that appeared early on Wednesday morning at the under-construction Vajira Hospital MRT station was not just a shocking incident. It represents a serious and indelible mark on the public safety record of underground train construction projects in Thailand.

- 

It is a major relief that no fatalities or injuries were reported. The consequences would have been unthinkable had the collapse occurred during rush hour on Samsen Road.

The sinkhole at the South Purple Line station marks the worst accident since Thailand began building its underground MRT train system two decades ago. Unlike other public works projects, such as the prolonged construction on Rama II Road, underground train construction has historically reported far fewer accidents or complaints.

Most previous incidents involved falling construction materials or malfunctioning machinery - nothing as severe as a full-scale cave-in.