Khon Kaen to Declare Disaster Area After Seven Sinkholes
Seven sinkholes have opened in farmland near Phu Pha Man district in Khon Kaen, prompting authorities to declare the village a disaster area after geologists attributed the collapses to natural limestone erosion over millions of years.
KHON KAEN — 5 August 2026, Authorities are preparing to declare a village in Khon Kaen a disaster area after seven sinkholes opened in farmland, while geologists say the collapses were caused by natural geological processes and warned residents to watch for signs of further ground subsidence.
Geologists from the Department of Mineral Resources' Regional Office 2 in Khon Kaen inspected seven sinkholes in Ban Wang Charoen, Huai Muang subdistrict, Phu Pha Man district, alongside local officials.
The sinkholes measure an average depth of 4-5 metres.
Oruma Summat, director of the regional office, said inspections found each sinkhole was circular in shape and caused by the collapse of surface soil into underground cavities. She said the cavities are not expected to continue expanding underground, allowing the sinkholes to be temporarily filled with soil as a short-term solution.
According to the department, the sinkholes formed in ancient limestone layers that fractured over millions of years due to tectonic movement. The natural cracks, combined with local geological conditions, eventually caused the ground to collapse.
Geologists advised residents to watch for bubbling water or air rising from the ground, which could indicate underground cavities and signal a potential sinkhole.
One resident, Ranong Khaophuang, said she noticed bubbles emerging while transplanting rice seedlings in her four-rai field and quickly moved away, fearing the ground could collapse. She also questioned whether nearby limestone quarry operations could have contributed to the sinkholes, although authorities have not established any link.
Khon Kaen Governor Khajornkiat Rakpanichmanee said Ban Wang Charoen will be declared a disaster area after additional high-risk locations were identified. Officials will cordon off dangerous areas and consider assistance measures for affected residents in accordance with the law.
Geologists added that the area has a history of recurring sinkholes because of its underlying limestone geology, while environmental factors and land use may also contribute to the phenomenon.
