One dead in Bangkok shophouse awning collapse

BANGKOK, June 22 (TNA) - A concrete awning collapsed from a row of old commercial buildings in Bangkok’s historic district on Saturday, killing one person and raising safety concerns over the city's aging infrastructure, authorities said.

The incident occurred at a five-unit shophouse near the Mo Mi intersection in the Samphanthawong district. A second-floor concrete awning broke off and fell to the ground, killing a 67-year-old man.

Engineers from the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT) inspected the site and stated that the entire building does not require demolition. The structure, estimated to be over 50 years old, consists of brick-and-mortar walls with wooden beams, while the collapsed awning was made of reinforced concrete. Experts attributed the failure to weather exposure and moisture, which corroded the internal steel support over time.

"The main building structure remains stable, but the area must be temporarily closed for safety," said Itthiphol Pasityotin, an EIT representative. Authorities have ordered temporary bracing for the remaining structures and recommended replacing the old concrete awnings with lightweight metal sheets.

Local residents expressed concern over safety, noting that many buildings in the historic neighborhood are over a century old.

The Samphanthawong District Office has advised residents to coordinate with Wat Traimit, the landowner, to proceed with structural repairs. Meanwhile, Bangkok municipal authorities have ordered all district offices to inspect old buildings and shophouses across the capital to prevent similar incidents. - 819 (TNA)