Thailand: At least 22 people have been killed and around 80 others injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeast Thailand, triggering a derailment and brief fire.
The incident occurred in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230km northeast of Bangkok. The train was travelling from the capital to Ubon Ratchathani province when the crane fell directly onto several carriages.
The crane was reportedly being used for construction work on an elevated track under a joint Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project. Authorities said the impact caused the train to derail, with two of the three carriages struck suffering the most severe damage.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that 195 passengers were on board at the time of the accident and said a full investigation has been ordered. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn added that the fatalities were concentrated in the two carriages hit by the crane.
Rescue teams have been working at the site using heavy equipment to reach trapped passengers. Thai media reported that the operation has been complicated by twisted metal and unstable debris.
Local resident Mitr Intrpanya, 54, described hearing a loud crash followed by explosions. Mitr Intrpanya stated that, “At around 9am, I heard a loud noise, like something sliding down from above, followed by two explosions. When I went to see what had happened, I found the crane sitting on a passenger train with three carriages. The metal from the crane appeared to strike the middle of the second carriage, slicing it in half.”
The affected route is one of the most heavily used in northeast Thailand. Cheng noted that the line runs beneath parts of the long-delayed high-speed rail project, which is being built on elevated concrete platforms above the existing tracks. Images from the scene appear to show the crane falling from one of these structures.
Thailand has a history of deadly transport and construction accidents. In 2023, eight people were killed when a freight train hit a pickup truck at a rail crossing in eastern Thailand. Three years earlier, at least 18 people died when a train crashed into a bus. In March this year, more than 100 people were killed when an under-construction high-rise building collapsed in Bangkok following an earthquake.
Authorities are expected to release further details as the investigation into the crane failure and safety conditions at the construction site continues.
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