Concrete beam falls onto expressway in Bangkok, killing 7

At least seven people have been killed after part of an under-construction expressway in Bangkok collapsed on the road below on Mar. 15.

Another 30 are still missing.

Under construction

At around 1:40 am on Mar. 15, a concrete beam structure for a new expressway bridge collapsed in Bangkok‘s Chom Thong district.

At the time, the Dao Khanong Expressway Bridge was being constructed above the existing Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway on-off ramp.

According to The Nation, initial investigations suggest that an excessive amount of concrete was poured onto an overhead beam, causing it to collapse onto the road below.

The collapse caused extensive damage.

The Chom Thong District office reports five deaths as of 3pm on Mar. 15, although The Nation reports at least seven fatalities.

The district office also reports 24 injuries and two people who remain missing.

Local firemen were at the scene, along with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s Urban Search and Rescue unit, and K9 rescue units.

Diversions

The expressway leads to the Rama X bridge, which was opened in January 2025 to help commuters travel to and from central Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River.

However, another access point closer to the bridge remains open, with local authorities diverting traffic towards it.

By the afternoon, the governor of the Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) told the press that he expected debris to be cleared and access for inbound traffic to be restored within one week.

However, he said it would likely take a month for outbound traffic to be restored.

Top image via สำนักป้องกันและบรรเทาสาธารณภัย/Facebook & Chom Thong District Office/Facebook