Commuters warn of dangers after tyres burst on potholed Rama II highway

Members of the Karn Kusol Samut Sakhon Foundation rushed to kilometre marker 37 on the inbound Rama II highway at 6am to help motorists change their front tyres. The volunteers reported they had found four or five 20- to 30-centimetre-deep holes that were just wide enough for the wheels to fall into. The holes were also quite close to each other in a long line and were located opposite the Esso petrol station in Bang Krachao subdistrict.

The volunteers helped replace tyres in cars that had spares, while those that did not had to wait for their car to be hauled away.

A Nation reporter at the scene said he witnessed several cars getting flat tyres as they drove over these holes, and some burst quite loudly.

Local residents said that there are similar holes on the frontage roads of the highway and that they have informed the authorities, but nothing has been done so far.

One motorist said he was driving at about 60 kilometres per hour when his front wheel fell into a hole and the tyre burst. He said he managed to manoeuvre the car to the side of the road only to find several other cars had suffered the same fate.

Another motorist said the holes were in a long line in the middle of the road, so it was difficult for motorists to avoid them. He said he noticed several vehicles lined up on the roadside and was wondering what had happened before he experienced the mishap himself.

Local residents say the Rama II highway has become very dangerous with endless accidents from falling construction debris to cavities in the road.