Crab Sculpture Costing 1.38 Million Baht Per Unit Collapses as Residents Criticize Abandoned 120 Million Baht Tourism Project
A 1.38 million baht crab sculpture collapsed at a Trang intersection after years of neglect, revealing poor construction with corroded steel and cracked welds, as residents criticize the abandoned 120 million baht tourism project launched i
On May 15, 2025, reporters documented the collapse of the "Crab Sculpture" at Kuan Pring intersection in Trang's downtown area, which had cost 1.38 million baht to build. The structure, comprising steel framework, plastering, finishing, and painting work, had been left to deteriorate and suddenly collapsed. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported.
Investigation revealed that both crab claws protruding from the main body had broken and crashed to the ground in severe condition. The internal structure showed 4-inch-wide steel boxes only millimeters thick serving as the main load-bearing elements, which had fractured and failed. Welding connections throughout the structure were cracked and damaged at nearly every joint, with visible rust and corrosion on all steel members. The wire mesh reinforcement for the plaster had rusted through and torn from its binding wires, while the 4-centimeter concrete coating had cracked and deteriorated significantly.
Nearby, a "Golden Shower Tree" sculpture constructed for 560,000 baht showed no structural damage yet but displayed clear signs of neglect and deterioration. Together, these two sculptures consumed 1.94 million baht in combined construction costs. The site has even been used by residents to tether cattle for grazing.
These monuments were initiated in 2017 under Governor Siripat Pattakul using 119.6 million baht in supplementary funding from the Andaman Coast Southern Province Group for a four-location tourism development project launched by Trang Highway Office. The project included three road development initiatives and one area-specific development program, with Trang Province overseeing contracts and the Highway Department controlling construction supervision.
The four locations featured sculptures celebrating southern and Trang identities: bullfighting monuments at Andaman intersection, sculptures under an elevated bridge near Siri Trang Garden, fisheries-themed monuments at Kuan Pring intersection, and sea gypsies and cycling-themed sculptures at Ban Kuan intersection, each costing approximately 30 million baht.
