Shocking images have emerged from Thailand following a catastrophic construction accident that has claimed dozens of lives. A massive crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train, causing a fiery derailment and killing at least 31 people in the country's northeast.
Scene of Devastation in Nakhon Ratchasima
The disaster struck on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, in the province of Nakhon Ratchasima, approximately 200 kilometres northeast of Bangkok. Authorities confirmed the crane was being used to build an elevated section of a major new railway line when it toppled as the train, travelling from the capital Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province, passed underneath.
The province's Public Health Provincial Office reported 32 fatalities and 64 injured victims, with seven of those in a severe condition. As night fell, officials stated that three passengers remained missing from the 171 believed to have been on board the train during the collision.
High-Stakes Project and Political Fallout
The accident occurred on a segment of the ambitious Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project, a key part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative intended to connect China with Southeast Asia. The specific section where the crane fell has a budget exceeding 179 billion baht (around $5.7 billion) and was originally slated to begin operations in 2027.
Thailand's acting prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has demanded that "all responsible parties" be punished and held accountable for the incident. The Rail Transport Department identified the equipment as a "launching gantry crane," a large, self-supporting structure on rails commonly used in elevated road and rail construction.
A Troubled History for the Rail Project
This is not the first fatal incident to mar this high-profile infrastructure project. In a grim echo of the past, a railway tunnel on the same planned route in Nakhon Ratchasima collapsed in August 2024, killing three workers. Heavy rainfall at the time was considered a contributing factor in that earlier tragedy.
The two-stage rail link between Bangkok and Nong Khai province, bordering Laos, represents a total investment of more than 520 billion baht ($16.8 billion). Rescue teams worked tirelessly into the night amidst the scorched and twisted wreckage of carriages, a devastating scene that underscores the profound human cost of the disaster.
