Sinkholes threaten to swallow school

An aerial view shows connected sinkholes within a few metres of the Banbonkaokangriang School grounds in Sri Sawat district of Kanchanaburi on Saturday. (Photo by Piyarach Chongcharoen)

KANCHANABURI: Two large sinkholes that are 15-20 metres deep and cover about one rai are creeping closer to a school in Sri Sawat district, leaving parents reluctant to send their children back there for the new term this week.

The sinkholes are threatening Banbonkaokangriang School, which educates 187 children from kindergarten to grade 9 in tambon Tha Kradan. Many big trees have fallen into the holes in the past year and cracks in the earth are seen stretching from the holes to some school buildings.

School director Somwut Srisangworn said there used to be a stream flowing near the school to a waterfall. In November last year, runoff caused the stream to subside and disappear. The sinkholes first appeared on Nov 10 last year and have continued to grow.

Officials of the Department of Mineral Resources inspected the area and found a lot of perforated limestone that is vulnerable to erosion, especially from an underground waterway.

They recommended that a canal be built to divert the course of the waterway away from the area to protect the school, but school management were unable to raise sufficient funds, the school director said.

Somjit Kaewjam, a member of the Tha Kradan tambon administration organisation, said that the next school term would start on Wednesday but parents were reluctant to send their children back to the school.

Kanchanaburi governor Jeerakiat Phumsawat inspected the area on Saturday evening. He ordered the closure of a one-storey school building housing two classrooms and construction of a temporary building farther away from the holes, where the children could continue their studies in safety.

Mr Jeerakiat said he would also ask the Royal Irrigation Department to build a canal to divert water from the site.