Truck topples 47 power poles

Authorities work to clear Theparak Road in Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan after a tractor-trailer knocked down 47 power poles on Saturday. (Photo by Thanarak Khunton)

SAMUT PRAKAN — A 22-wheel tractor-trailer struck a power pole in Bang Phli district, setting off a chain reaction that brought down 46 other poles, damaging 37 passing vehicles.

The incident occurred between kilometre markers 17 and 19 on Theparak Road in tambon Bang Pla on Saturday afternoon. Suthep Iam-samarng, 48, was attempting to back his truck onto the shoulder of the road to deliver steel coils to a company at kilometre marker 18. But the trailer knocked down a concrete utility pole, resulting in 46 others being pulled down.

The toppled poles included ten 21-metre high-voltage poles and 37 medium sized poles and covered a distance of two kilometres aong the road. They collapsed on 37 vehicles that were travelling in both the inbound and outbound lanes.

Fortunately, there was only one minor inury, to 28-year-old motorcyclist Suriyan Bandarn.

Some of the poles also fell on and damaged a pedestrian bridge. The accident caused traffic congestion for tens of kilometres.

Authorities cut off electricity in the area for safety and closed the affected section of the road. They expected to have the area cleared and power restored later Saturday night.

Authorities said Mr Suthep would be charged with reckless driving causing property damage and injury.