The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) has ordered an immediate suspension of construction on the MRT Purple Line following a dramatic road collapse in Bangkok’s Dusit district.

The collapse, which opened a sinkhole directly in front of Vajira Hospital, triggered cuts to utilities, the evacuation of residents and patients, and a broader safety review of the project.

The subsidence occurred in the vicinity of the future Vajira Hospital Station, damaging underground utilities and threatening adjacent structures.

Local authorities blocked off traffic from the Vajira intersection to Sanghi intersection and evacuated nearby areas as a precaution.

Outpatient services at Vajira Hospital have been suspended for at least two days while the situation is stabilized.

Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn ordered his deputy and the MRTA governor to inspect the site, overseeing coordination among transport, electricity, water, telecom and police agencies to manage repairs and reroute traffic.

The MRTA says it is collaborating with all relevant bodies to contain risk and investigate the precise cause.

This incident drives sharp attention to risks inherent in large-scale urban infrastructure.

Bangkok already faces complex demands on soil stability, water flow, and land use.

The MRT Purple Line southern extension is currently reported to be over fifty percent complete, and the collapse raises serious questions about geotechnical support, tunnelling safety, drainage design and oversight.

Moving forward, the MRTA is expected to conduct forensic engineering assessments, revise safety protocols, and possibly review tunnelling methods or alignment near sensitive zones.

Bangkok’s development ambitions rest heavily on its transit expansion — but the Vajira incident underlines how fragile underground systems can be when design, geology or maintenance falter.