Rescue efforts were quickly launched soon after the news broke of the landslide, with rescue teams on site to recover the two workers.
The landslide occurred at about 10am, Narongrit Poompaung, the 28-year-old project engineer on site this morning, told The Phuket News.
The workers were levelling the land at the site when the accident occurred, said Mr Narongrit.
Construction of the three-story building at the site began on Jan 9, Mr Narongrit noted.
“No one knew that this would happen. There was no sign or any hint to be aware this,” Mr Narongrit told The Phuket News today.
However, Mr Narongrit was unable to answer further questions from The Phuket News reporter at the scene as he was called away to attend to other urgent matters.
As indicated by a sign in Thai at the site, the building is to become the “Dr Prawet Clinic for Children with Mild Intellectual Disability”.
Carrying out the construction is Suwannarat Civil Co Ltd.
The clinic is to open at the end of this year.
Witnessed by The Phuket News this morning during the rescue was one man excavated in time given an oxygen mask before being rushed to hospital.
Another man excavated from the soil was not breathing.
“Three men were buried in the soil,” confirmed Lt Col Chana Suthimat of the Phuket City Police.
“Myanmar nationals Jo We Nai and Ne Sor Lin, both about 20 years old, are at Vachira Hospital, but 37-year-old Miw Ta Taw died at the scene,” he said.
“The area where the workers were buried by the landslip was beside a section of soil excavated, leaving a three-metre high earth wall that was not restrained by any structure, Col Chana pointed out.
“The man ( Miw Ta Taw) died of asphyxiation by being covered by the soil,” Col Chana added.
“We are still investigating other details,” he said.
Work at the site was immediately ordered to halt until a safety plan has been presented to – and approved by – the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation ) Phuket office (DDPM-Phuket) and Phuket City Municipality.
DDPM-Phuket Chief Prapan Kanprasang, who was at the scene this morning, told The Phuket News.
“They must present their safety plan before work can continue at the site. They have 15 days to submit it to me,” he said.
Additional reporting by Tanyaluk Sakoot