CHIANG RAI – Construction on the Doi Luang railway tunnel has come to a sudden stop following a deeply tragic accident. A sudden rock collapse at the busy site killed two workers and left two others with very serious injuries. Government officials have completely halted the massive project to allow geologists to assess the danger in the area.
The tragic event took place on the evening of June 20 in Doi Luang District, located in northern Chiang Rai. Workers from Myanmar and Kanchanaburi were sadly caught under a heavy layer of falling temporary concrete and rock. Deputy Transport Minister Patarapong Pataraprasit quickly visited the accident scene to personally inspect the damage and offer his support.
Key Takeaways
- Two workers lost their lives, and two others were severely injured during a sudden tunnel wall collapse.
- Construction is paused for two weeks to allow strict safety and geological checks by government experts.
- The tunnel forms part of a major northern railway project that is expected to open in 2028.
According to project engineer Pattapong Bunkaew, the main tunnel structure did not fail during the recent incident. Instead, a thick layer of temporarily sprayed concrete broke loose while the builders were setting up metal scaffolding. Heavy rainfall in the northern region caused a large amount of water to build up inside the rock layers.
This sudden buildup of water quickly changed the ground conditions inside the newly dug mountain tunnel. The chief engineer described the deadly collapse as an unforeseen accident that was incredibly hard to predict. Work in the high-risk zone has been stopped immediately to prevent any further danger to the construction crew.
Geologists will now spend the next two weeks carefully checking the safety of the entire surrounding area. Workers will only return to the site when experts declare the mountain completely safe for normal operations. Since the project is currently running ahead of schedule, this pause will not cause major delays for the railway.
Government Demands Strict Safety Investigations
The Transport Minister has ordered a deep dive into the incident to find the truth behind the tragedy. This official review will look closely at the tunnel design, construction methods, and daily safety rules. The government wants to make sure all building standards are properly followed by the hired contractor.
Officials are working closely with the Department of Mineral Resources to check the unstable rock layers. They want to fully understand the natural risks and ensure this type of tragedy never happens again. If the investigation reveals any carelessness on site, the responsible parties will face strict legal action.
To support the victims, the project team is fully covering all medical and funeral costs. They are also talking with the grieving families to provide long-term financial help during this difficult time. The local government has promised that the families will not be left to handle this massive burden alone.
The Future of the Northern Railway Project
The Doi Luang tunnel is a key part of the massive Den Chai to Chiang Khong railway route. The national government approved this 323-kilometer project with a huge budget of over 85 billion baht. When completed, this modern train line will connect northern Thailand directly with the nearby Laos border.
Construction of the entire route is planned to take seven years, finishing smoothly by January 2028. As reported in the recent news update, the tunnel is 3.4 kilometers long and fully drilled. The work teams were simply reinforcing the rough tunnel walls before the fatal accident unexpectedly took place.
Before the collapse, progress on this specific section was actually moving much faster than originally planned. The building work was more than 72 percent complete, putting them over nine percent ahead of target. Once finished, engineers promise the concrete tunnel will be strong enough to withstand major earthquakes safely.
Safety remains the absolute top priority before any passenger trains can run through the mountain path. The next few weeks will decide the new safety rules for the workers living on the site. Everyone is hoping for a safe and smooth return to building this highly important transport link soon.
