Bangkok: The search team buried sheet piles around the pile holes to search for the victims. They dug down 5 meters and have not found any missing persons.
According to Thai News Agency, at 5:00 p.m., search team officials from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), Usar Thailand, Ruamkatanyu Foundation officials, and the pile drilling contractor used a backhoe to begin burying steel sheet piles, approximately 16 meters long, around the pile hole on four sides. This was done to prevent the landslide from covering the mouth of the hole that the backhoe would dig in order to search for the victim.
The decision to bury sheet piles around the pile holes was based on an assessment by engineering experts. They determined that the soil slide had severely affected the building structure and electric poles in the area of the incident. To prevent the risk of the building sinking, leaning, and collapsing, it was necessary to install sheet piles to stabilize the area before excavating the soil and starting the search for victims. The installation of the sheet piles was completed by 6:30 p.m.
Previously, officers had employed a sonar device to locate the victim's body, which was believed to be buried in a 5-meter deep hole. Officers anticipated that, barring any unforeseen obstacles, they would be able to retrieve the victim's body by 9:00 p.m.
Despite digging 5 meters into the ground with a backhoe, the search team did not find the victim's body. In response, the victim's brother performed a ritual, lighting incense and seeking help from local spirits to clear the way for his brother to be found.
Authorities have cordoned off the area, prohibiting access to unrelated individuals to ensure safety and facilitate the search operation. Meanwhile, media personnel remain outside the restricted zone, using tall buildings to capture images from above.
Traffic management continues, with officials maintaining two lanes open on Lan Luang Road, inbound to Sanam Luang. They are using megaphones to advise road users against parking or slowing down to observe the scene, urging them to follow updates from media sources instead.
Despite more than 8 hours having passed, the victim's brother, all search officers, and the media still hold out hope for a miracle.