Relatives take Rama II road victim’s body back to their hometown for funeral
THE LATEST victim of debris falling and killing people on Rama II road who suffered a ruptured liver after two chunks of concrete fell on his pickup truck as he was passing beneath a flyover to Samut Sakhon where he worked early yesterday morning (Apr. 29) died last night with this wife and relatives taking his body back to his hometown in Nakhon Sawan for a funeral, Amarin TV said this afternoon.
Mr. Amnat Thongkham, 46, who was an assistant head of a factory’s engineering department, died at 9 p.m. with doctors at Samut Sakhon Hospital saying after the surgery the blood that was given kept leaking out and his blood pressure dropped significantly. He was given stimulant drugs but this did not help him recover.
His wife, Mrs. Chanram Thongkham, 46, along with his mother, brother and other relatives were helped by People’s Party MP for this province Mr. Nattapong Sumanotham in making arrangements and contacting various agencies since yesterday.
Chanram said she did not know what to do at the moment because her husband’s death was so sudden and fast. She urged all agencies overseeing construction on Rama II road to fully investigate the accident so that this does not happen to other families.
She added that she has told her husband’s spirit to go peacefully and not worry about their daughter as she will take good care of her and ensure she completes her studies and gets a bachelor’s degree in logistics as intended.
Nattapong said he has asked relevant agencies, especially the Highways Department, to take responsibility for compensating the deceased’s family and cover funeral expenses.
He is also going to ask Deputy Prime Minister/Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit and all related agencies what they are going to do to ensure that this is the last such accident.
Nowadays, no one wants to use Rama II road anymore and this affects the economy and the lives of people in Samut Sakhon and even other neighbouring provinces, he added.
Mr. Thanasarn Sitthapha, director of the Samut Sakhon Highways Department, said he has sent a team to inspect this flyover’s structure and ordered a fence installed around it. The department has arranged for a vehicle to transport the victim’s body back to his home province with initial compensation and assistance for the funeral given.
Negotiations have to be held on the full compensation to be paid to the family.
A bridge expert will be inspecting this flyover and action will be taken to prevent chunks of concrete from falling again. There may be major repairs but initially it has to be inspected, he added.
Pol. Lt. Col. Wichit Lunpha, deputy chief of investigation at Samut Sakhon City police station, said the bridge’s caretaker must be held liable for this accident under civil law.
Bridges have to be strong and not deteriorate to the point that pieces of concrete fall on vehicles below, resulting in death.
Since the Highways Department is directly responsible for taking care of this bridge the agency has to compensate the victim’s family with Samut Sakhon district officials to be called in for questioning in order to proceed with the law, he added.
Photos: Amarin TV
This report was originally published by www.thainewsroom.com
Comments
