Khon kaen: Geologists inspecting a deep sinkhole in Phu Pha Man District, Khon Kaen Province, have determined it to be a natural disaster caused by the limestone terrain. While assistance meets disaster relief criteria at a rate of 1,340 baht per rai, farmers must have registered before the incident to be eligible.
According to Thai News Agency, residents of Ban Wang Charoen, Phu Pha Man District, Khon Kaen Province, are alarmed after nearly 10 large sinkholes appeared across sugarcane and rice fields. Some sinkholes, as deep as 5 meters, are located in sugarcane and rice paddies west of Ban Wang Charoen, Moo 2, Huai Muang Subdistrict. In some areas, the sinkholes are so deep that only darkness is visible, and signs of further cracking and subsidence are being observed.
Local officials and community leaders inspected a sinkhole in Ban Wang Charoen, Moo 2, Huai Muang Subdistrict, Khon Kaen Province. They cordoned off the area for safety and found that the sinkhole had expanded significantly, now measuring 6x5 meters in diameter and 3 meters deep. The sinkhole, located within a rice-growing area, has been gradually collapsing for the past two days.
Additionally, several other sinkholes were found, and over the past two days, they have shown signs of expanding and deepening. The most dangerous area, located in a sugarcane field west of the village, is experiencing significant soil erosion caused by rainwater. Officials have erected barriers to prevent further collapse.
Preliminary investigations by the Department of Mineral Resources, Region 2 (Khon Kaen), indicate that the sinkhole in the area is a natural disaster. The area is composed of limestone layers, which are susceptible to subsidence and the formation of deep holes. Furthermore, previous surveys have revealed similar sinkhole formations in nearby areas, corroborating the conclusion that this is a natural occurrence. However, the exact cause remains unclear, as such an event has never occurred in the area since the time of the ancestors.
Mr. Khomphet Khonsing, the mayor of Huai Muang Subdistrict Administrative Organization, revealed that the organization will summarize the damages to provide assistance and compensation according to the rights of the people affected by natural disasters in agricultural areas. The assistance criteria stipulate that farmers who suffer damage from natural disasters will receive assistance at a rate of no more than 1,500 baht per rai, provided they were registered as farmers prior to the disaster.