OFFICIALS ALREADY WARNED RESIDENTS OF PROBLEM, REFUSED TO LEAVE
A prior inspection by Mahidol University found 19 groups of buildings housing 177 rooms in the area had structural problems.
The shophouses were reportedly condemned two years ago citing flood damage from 2011.
City Hall had told residents in February last year that an inspection found they were not safe.
The residents had been asked to move out several times.
Officials had sent warning notices and held meetings with residents three times urging them to vacate the buildings.
The residents refused to move out because they had lived there for a long time and had an attachment to the place.
Officials took no further action to evict the residents from the condemned buildings.
Eventually, the condemned buildings did collapse. Luckily, there was only property damage.