Ratchaburi evacuation mulled after WWII bomb discovery

[PeteC]

Maybe best to check no football games will be cancelled BB. They're also investigating a Chikungunya disease outbreak there. https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... a-outbreak


Evacuation mulled after WWII explosives discovery
Published: 10/06/2019 at 05:04 AM
Newspaper section: News https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... -discovery A few photos at link.

Residents living in downtown Ratchaburi may soon be ordered to evacuate their homes as authorities prepare to defuse seven World War II-era unexploded bombs found on the bed of the Mae Klong River.

The bombs were first discovered by the State Railway of Thailand's workers who were working on the first phase of the double-track rail upgrade project between Nakhon Pathom and Chumphon.

Another bomb was found buried between Khao Tao and Wang Phong train stations in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Pran Buri district.

SRT acting governor Worawut Mala said there is a possibility more unexploded ordnance may be discovered as the project moves on to its second phase, which will see works carried out between Chumphon and Songkhla.

"An administrative order could be issued to cordon off the central parts of Ratchaburi's Muang district, to ensure everyone's safety as authorities attempt to safely retrieve and defuse the explosives," said Mr Worawut,

The SRT's acting governor added a blast could damage structures that lie within a two-kilometre radius of the epicentre, which include military camps, temples, markets, schools, the City Hall, as well as numerous homes.

"We will meet on Friday to decide on the best course of action," said Mr Worawut.

Experts from Germany will be invited to assist because retrieving unexploded underwater ordnance requires a high degree of technical expertise, he said.

Various methods have been considered to safely dispose of the bombs, but the most suitable way is to destroy them underwater, he said.

"A high-powered water pump will be used to separate the fuse and the explosive chamber to prevent chemicals from each part from coming into contact with each other, which could cause it to explode, he said.

Because of the ordnance discovery, a suspension bridge will be built across the Mae Klong River instead of a conventional bridge, as it requires no foundation pillars in the river, he said.

"This will be the first suspension rail bridge in the country and a new landmark of Ratchaburi," said Mr Worawut.

According to a source at the Transport Ministry, the ordnance are 1,000-pound general purpose (GP) bombs.

The bombs were dropped during Allied air raids in Ratchaburi after Japanese soldiers invaded Thailand in 1941.

[HHTel]

The first pic in the BP of a couple of guys having their pic taken reminds me of an incident several years ago.

A 'bomb factory' was raided after a 'tip-off'. The media arrived in quick succession. The wanted a pic of a policeman with one of the 'bombs/explosive devices'. Policeman only too willing to volunteer for a picture, picked up one of the bombs and blew himself up.
In Samut Sakhon from memory. TIT

[VincentD]

Slightly off topic, but bombs found during construction work nevertheless..
Some 5-6 years ago during excavation work for the skytrain (or was it underground?) the workers found a long,cylindrical object while digging the foundations. Some bright spark decided that it probably would be a good idea to take this object and sell it for scrap. So, off in the truck they went, to a scrap dealer. The scrap dealer bought it off them, and decided to use an acetylene torch to cut it into more manageable pieces. An old lady recognised that it was a bomb from her era and shouted to them not to cut it, but too late.

I live about two km from this scrap dealer, and the sound got all the pigeons off the roof next door really quick.. Yes, I was home at the time. It made the news the following day and raised the awareness that they had actually been bombed..

[HHTel]

I remember that.

[Nereus]

World War II bombs to be defused next year

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/genera ... recent_box

RATCHABURI: Authorities will next year defuse seven World War II-era bombs underwater before retrieving them from the Mae Klong River in the central province and then destroying them.

Representatives from the State Railway of Thailand, soldiers, police and concerned agencies attended a meeting on Wednesday to discuss measures to demolish the unexploded bombs.

Ratchaburi governor Chayawut Chanthorn, chairman of the province’s operations committee to recover and destroy the bombs, said five measures to defuse the bombs were discussed.

The panel resolved to choose the fifth measure, the safest method to defuse the bombs, said the governor. He did not elaborate on the details on the four other measures.

The chosen measure involves defusing he seven bombs underwater by using a water-jet cutter, said Mr Chayawut.
After they are defused, they will be retrieved from the river for destruction at the Royal Thai Army Ordnance Division’s 6th arsenal in Muang district of Ratchaburi, he said.

Authorities would seek a central budget to purchase the equipment to defuse the explosives and to cover expenses for the evacuation of residents living in the area through the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department, said the governor.

The work to defuse the bombs was expected to begin next year, he added.

The bombs were first discovered by the SRT’s workers who were working on the first phase of the double-track trail upgrade project between Nakhon Pathom and Chumphon.

The bombs were dropped during Allied air raids in Ratchaburi after Japanese soldiers invaded Thailand in 1941.