On August 24, 2024, at 11:30 p.m., officials from the Sawangwicha Pak Chong Rescue Unit received a report of a landslide at the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail tunnel in Khlong Khanchit, Chanthuek Subdistrict, Pak Chong District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The landslide occurred while workers were engaged in tunnel drilling, trapping several individuals. Rescue efforts were promptly coordinated with the Sawang Metta Foundation in Nakhon Ratchasima to provide assistance at the site.
The incident took place at a drilling site for the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail tunnel, located within the Khanchit Canal section in Pak Chong District. Efforts by the contractor’s team to excavate the area using backhoes and remove debris continued into the morning of August 25, 2024. However, as of 9:00 a.m., the rescue teams were still unable to reach the precise location where workers and supervisors were trapped due to the collapse.
The distance to the collapse site from the tunnel’s entrance is approximately 3-4 kilometers, complicating the rescue efforts. Three individuals are currently missing: two Chinese nationals and one Myanmar citizen. Initial actions involved the deployment of heavy machinery to clear a path for rescue workers to access the affected area and assist those who are trapped.
The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, through its District 5 center and the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office, is supporting the search and rescue operations. They have mobilized officials from the national urban search and rescue team, USAR Thailand, equipped with specialized tools such as Life Detectors, survivor signal detectors, and search cameras designed for collapsed buildings. These teams have already been dispatched to the scene to assist in the ongoing rescue efforts.
Mr. Pichet Kunathamrak, Director-General of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), stated that an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the incident. Coordination with relevant authorities is being expedited to assess the situation and implement recovery measures that consider both engineering and safety standards, as well as legal responsibilities, insurance, and support for the victims to prevent further losses.
Mr. Pasanon Sawatburi, Senior Deputy Managing Director of Naowarat Pattanakarn Public Company Limited (NWR), the company involved in the tunnel’s construction, indicated that the exact cause of the landslide remains undetermined. The company is currently on-site conducting a detailed inspection to ascertain the specifics of the event.
The tunnel work, part of contract 3-2 covering the Muak Lek and Lam Takhong tunnel section over a 12.23-kilometer stretch, was reported to be 74.06% complete as of July 2024. Despite continuous efforts, as of 9:00 a.m. on August 25, rescuers have not yet reached the point where the workers and supervisor are believed to be trapped, leaving their fate uncertain.
Efforts to resolve the situation are ongoing, with authorities and rescue teams working tirelessly to reach the missing individuals and ensure the safety of all personnel involved.