Mae Hong Son Province, Thailand — On May 13, 2025, the first day of the new school term proved challenging for students in Sop Moei District after the Ban Mae Thalu Bridge, a key transport route, was rendered unusable due to ongoing repair work. Without a viable alternative, students were forced to climb a makeshift wooden structure to reach school, raising safety concerns among parents and local residents.
The damaged bridge, located in Ban Mae Thalu, Tambon Sop Moei, Amphoe Sop Moei, has been under repair since late April after authorities announced its temporary dismantling on April 30. The construction, part of a rural highway rehabilitation project following natural disaster damage, is scheduled to conclude by July 3, 2025. In the meantime, access across the area remains limited.
Local reports indicate that school buses are stationed near the bridge to pick up students traveling to schools in Mae Sariang and Sop Moei Districts. However, with no proper bypass in place, villagers and parents constructed wooden stairs to allow students to climb the bridge, which remains elevated and partially inaccessible. The temporary solution has heightened safety concerns, especially for younger students.
While officials previously advised residents to use alternative routes through Ban Mae Katuan and Ban Huai Pho, those detours extend travel distances by over six kilometers and include areas affected by road subsidence, further complicating travel. Residents argue that these conditions are unsafe and insufficient as a long-term substitute.
The Sop Moei District Administration has stated it will soon visit the affected area to assess the situation directly. Local villagers continue to call for urgent intervention from relevant agencies to create a safer, shorter detour while repairs continue.
Officials and local leaders were informed of the bridge closure only shortly before work began, prompting frustration among residents over the lack of prior notice.
