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2010 · 347 Lives LostWater Festival · Phnom Penh, Cambodia Lesson 11 of 15
Koh Pich Bridge (2010): Case Study & Safety Analysis
A packed suspension bridge began to sway. Someone shouted it was collapsing. The panic did the rest.
Background & Historical Context
Bon Om Touk, the Cambodian Water Festival, is one of the country's biggest celebrations, marking the reversal of the Tonle Sap river. Millions travel to Phnom Penh for boat races and festivities — a joyful national holiday that funnelled vast crowds onto one island bridge.
Why this incident matters to event managers today:Bridges concentrate every crowd danger at once: a chokepoint, two-way flow, movement underfoot, and fear of collapse. They must have strict one-way flow, hard numbers limits, and staff controlling access at both ends. Rumour and motion can convert a static jam into a deadly stampede in seconds.
Koh Pich Bridge
Water Festival · Phnom Penh, Cambodia · 2010
347 lives lost
A packed suspension bridge began to sway. Someone shouted it was collapsing. The panic did the rest.
Next Case Study Lesson
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