Why does the building explosion method not used for the demolition work in Thailand?

First, I think there are not so many high-rise buildings in Thailand. At present, buildings contain 4 to 8 storeys, there are some buildings with 10 to 20 storeys to be demolished since Thailand have just have high rise buildings for about 40 to 50 years, unlike European countries, or developed country like USA, where there have been high rise buildings several decades ahead of us. Their high rise buildings will start deteriorated. For Thailand, I think, you probably get to see building explosion method within the next 4o years.

Second, there is no expert in using explosion in the building demolition in Thailand, no related parties in demolition, probably engineer in building explosion demolition. In foreign countries, there are the study, subject about building explosion, personnel who understand in building explosion. I have the chance to do study visit in Germany last year. German officers invited me to do the site visit in their demolition work, I learn a lot from the german demolition speaker. I got invitation to visit building explosion in one site, but I had an errand and had to got back.

However,from the initial conversation, he explained to me that his son was interested to see, study and learn the building explosion subject, he might be graduated in about 3 to 4 years. I may get the chance to visit the building explosion in Germany and I will come back to write about the building explosion next time.

Third, there is the legal restriction in building explosion in Thailand. It has to pass permission in confirming with the committee related to explosive materials with the military head of Internal Security Operation Command. There must be the governor, the district chief, Provincial Administration Organization who inspect for criminal record with the police officers and other related parties. This involves various parties to apply for permission and it will take quite a long time, approximately 6 months for consideration. There must be the warehouse to keep various type of explosive materials and there must be experts to get involve in this issue.This must be more complicated than using mechanical method.

Forth, I view that our labor cost is not high like in Europe. Some people may see that they use building explosion method with less than 30 seconds, and it is finished and the building just collapse. As far as I talk to my friends who are also demolition business who is a big operator in Munich Germany. Actually, the building explosion work is not just what you see in about 15 to 30 seconds. Just blow up the building, then the building collapse and it's done. It's not like that. As it takes 1 to 2 month for their preparation, it has to notify the nearby building, check the wind direction, moisture, mortar strength test , steel scan.

The 2 month preparation and less labor used. The reason why they use less labor because the labor cost is high and they need to use less staff as they can. They need people to bury the demolition bomb and break it with trigger which needs to protect the mortar flakes that would bounce off.

As I mention in the fourth issue, when the labor cost keep rising, it is getting harder to find labor to do the building demolition. I think, one day in the next 40 to 50 years, the high rise buildings in Thailand will start to be dilapidated, we may see the 15 to 30 storey condominium near our houses use the building explosion method, building explosion technique from abroad will be adopted in Thailand and that time we will see the building explosion in Thailand in the next 40 to 50 years.

This is the analysis from experience and the point of view in my perspective of a building demolition operator.

Piyamitr Group

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