Crane crushes passenger train in Thailand, at least 22 killed, dozens injured

At least 22 people were killed and more than 30 injured on Wednesday (Jan 14) after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeast Thailand, derailing the coaches and triggering a fire, according to local authorities. "Twenty-two people were killed, and more than 30 were injured," said local police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong, as per reports.

What happened?

The accident unfolded during the morning rush. Reports suggest the crash happened around 9:00 am local time in Nakhon Ratchasima province, roughly 250 kilometres from Bangkok. Police said the crane was part of ongoing work on a China-backed high-speed rail project when it suddenly fell onto the tracks just as a passenger train was passing beneath it.

Video footage broadcast by Thai media showed a brightly coloured train lying on its side, with thick smoke rising from twisted metal. Rescue workers and firefighters were seen scrambling across the wreckage, pulling survivors from damaged carriages while medics treated the injured on site.

Officials said the train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said there were 195 passengers on board at the time of the accident, and that teams were working to identify the victims and inform families.

The crane was being used in the construction of a 5.4-billion-dollar high-speed rail line, a flagship infrastructure project under Beijing's vast "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative. The line will eventually link Bangkok with Kunming in southern China via Laos by 2028, forming part of China’s broader regional connectivity push.
According to AFP, industrial and construction site accidents have long been common in Thailand, where lax enforcement of safety regulations often leads to deadly incidents.