CHIANG MAI — A 56-year-old municipal construction chief died on Thursday after being buried in a landslide while inspecting a drainage pipe in Don Kaew subdistrict. Prasert, a senior official with the Don Kaew Municipal Office, was checking the pipe beneath a road when the ground suddenly collapsed, trapping him under soil and debris.

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Rescue teams used a backhoe to excavate the site and extracted Prasert, who sustained severe injuries including multiple broken bones and internal damage from ribs piercing his lung and spleen. He was rushed to Nakornping Hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.

Don Kaew Mayor Polakorn Kanthawang expressed deep sorrow over the incident and pledged full support for Prasert’s family, including financial assistance and funeral arrangements. He emphasized that the tragedy would serve as a critical lesson for all municipal staff to enhance safety protocols during field inspections, particularly in unstable or hazardous terrain.

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The accident has raised concerns about workplace safety for public officials engaged in infrastructure maintenance, especially during the rainy season when soil instability increases. Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse and evaluate preventive measures for future operations.

-Thailand News (TN)