A man has been charged with negligence after the freight train he was driving collided with a public bus at a railway crossing in central Bangkok on Saturday, resulting in eight fatalities and 32 injuries. The incident occurred when the bus stopped on the tracks near an airport rail station, authorities said, and burst into flames upon impact with the cargo train.
Rescue crews could only enter the charred vehicle after the fire was brought under control. “The train driver has been charged with negligence causing death as evidence clearly indicates reckless conduct leading to fatalities,” said Urumporn Koondejsumrit, head of the local Makkasan police station. The bus driver is also expected to face charges once he recovers sufficiently to be questioned. Investigators are still examining whether additional charges will be filed.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat stated that preliminary findings suggested the bus had stopped on the tracks at a red light, preventing the crossing barriers from lowering properly. He added that the train, which was transporting containers, “was unable to stop in time to avoid the crash”. The collision triggered a fire that engulfed the bus as well as several nearby cars.
Eyewitnesses described confusion and panic at the crossing. “I heard a thud and then another. I heard something hitting my car. Then I saw the train pass, dragging the bus with it,” said Kittipong Raksa, who had parked near the tracks. After the collision, he found a person trapped under his car with a broken leg. Mr Raksa added that he did not see the barriers lowering before the crash.
Another commuter, Thanphisit Nawatkonoangkoon, told Reuters the accident “should not have happened”. “I want all drivers to understand traffic laws properly,” he said. Forensic authorities reported that the eight victims were so badly burned that conventional identification methods such as fingerprints, dental records, and eye scans could not be used. Wirun Supasingsiripreecha, head of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, said they are now relying on DNA samples from relatives to confirm the victims' identities, an exercise expected to be completed by Tuesday.
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority announced monetary compensation for the relatives of the deceased as well as for survivors, according to the Bangkok Post. According to the World Health Organization, Thailand’s roads are among the deadliest globally due to weak enforcement of safety standards. Earlier this year, 31 people were killed and 64 injured when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train travelling from Bangkok to the country’s northeast.
