Massive Sinkhole Near Vajira Hospital Paralyzes Central Bangkok, Raises Questions on Infrastructure Risk
A 50-metre deep collapse on Samsen Road disrupts traffic, utilities and public safety in dense Dusit district
Early on the morning of September 24, 2025, a dramatic sinkhole opened on Samsen Road in Bangkok’s Dusit district, in front of Vajira Hospital and near the Samsen police station, causing massive infrastructure damage and prompting widespread evacuations.
Authorities shut down traffic from Vajira to Sang Hi intersection and mobilised emergency crews to stabilise the area.
The crater is reported to be roughly 30 by 30 metres horizontally and up to 50 metres deep—one of the most extreme road collapses ever recorded in Bangkok.
The subsidence tore through a water main, severed power lines, caused electricity poles to drop into the hole, and swallowed at least one municipal tow truck.
Remarkably, no casualties or injuries have been confirmed so far.
Vajira Hospital immediately suspended outpatient services, and nearby residents and hospital patients were relocated.
The adjacent Samsen police flats and surrounding buildings were evacuated or cordoned off due to fears the subsidence would spread.
More than 100 police officers residing in the local police flats were ordered to relocate as a precaution.
The city governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, personally inspected the scene and warned that ongoing ground movement remained a risk.
Initial investigations and expert speculation point to ongoing underground construction of Bangkok’s MRT Purple Line extension as a likely contributing factor.
Leaks or soil intrusion into the tunnel or station box near Vajira may have undermined the roadbed above, especially under monsoon rainfall pressures.
Government sources confirmed that soil had begun sliding into the void, suggesting an active soil cave-in process.
By midday, engineers claimed to have halted further collapse, but the site remains dangerous.
Workers have begun filling the cavity with sandbags, crushed rock and debris to arrest further subsidence and protect surrounding structures.
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority and other utility agencies have cut off power and water locally to avoid additional damage while repairs proceed.
This event underscores a looming challenge faced by Bangkok: the tension between urban densification, heavy infrastructure investment underground, and the fragile geology exacerbated by heavy seasonal rains.
The disaster raises urgent questions about planning, oversight, and risk mitigation in megacity infrastructure projects.
Authorities have pledged a full review of engineering practices, stricter monitoring of excavation tunnelling works, and enhanced ground stability assessments before further urban tunnelling is allowed.
Meanwhile, Bangkok residents—especially those near major builds—are watching closely, aware of how a single failure underground can upend everyday life in the sprawling metropolis.
Authorities shut down traffic from Vajira to Sang Hi intersection and mobilised emergency crews to stabilise the area.
The crater is reported to be roughly 30 by 30 metres horizontally and up to 50 metres deep—one of the most extreme road collapses ever recorded in Bangkok.
The subsidence tore through a water main, severed power lines, caused electricity poles to drop into the hole, and swallowed at least one municipal tow truck.
Remarkably, no casualties or injuries have been confirmed so far.
Vajira Hospital immediately suspended outpatient services, and nearby residents and hospital patients were relocated.
The adjacent Samsen police flats and surrounding buildings were evacuated or cordoned off due to fears the subsidence would spread.
More than 100 police officers residing in the local police flats were ordered to relocate as a precaution.
The city governor, Chadchart Sittipunt, personally inspected the scene and warned that ongoing ground movement remained a risk.
Initial investigations and expert speculation point to ongoing underground construction of Bangkok’s MRT Purple Line extension as a likely contributing factor.
Leaks or soil intrusion into the tunnel or station box near Vajira may have undermined the roadbed above, especially under monsoon rainfall pressures.
Government sources confirmed that soil had begun sliding into the void, suggesting an active soil cave-in process.
By midday, engineers claimed to have halted further collapse, but the site remains dangerous.
Workers have begun filling the cavity with sandbags, crushed rock and debris to arrest further subsidence and protect surrounding structures.
The Metropolitan Electricity Authority and other utility agencies have cut off power and water locally to avoid additional damage while repairs proceed.
This event underscores a looming challenge faced by Bangkok: the tension between urban densification, heavy infrastructure investment underground, and the fragile geology exacerbated by heavy seasonal rains.
The disaster raises urgent questions about planning, oversight, and risk mitigation in megacity infrastructure projects.
Authorities have pledged a full review of engineering practices, stricter monitoring of excavation tunnelling works, and enhanced ground stability assessments before further urban tunnelling is allowed.
Meanwhile, Bangkok residents—especially those near major builds—are watching closely, aware of how a single failure underground can upend everyday life in the sprawling metropolis.
