Sikhiu District, Thailand: A devastating construction failure turned fatal on Wednesday when a crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Thailand’s Nakhon Ratchasima province. Authorities report that at least 22 people have died and 30 more are injured, with some in critical condition. The crane was working on a section of the Thai-Chinese High-Speed Railway when it plummeted onto the train, which was en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani.
The collision caused immediate derailment and a fire that engulfed one of the carriages. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos as smoke billowed from the brightly colored train cars lying on their sides. Emergency responders deployed to the Sikhiu district found passengers trapped under heavy construction materials and twisted metal. “Twenty-two people were killed and more than 30 were injured,” local police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong told reporters, adding that the identification of the deceased is underway.
The project, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aims to link Bangkok to Kunming by 2028. However, this tragedy has sparked immediate concerns regarding industrial safety standards in the country. Transport Minister Piphat Ratchakitprakan has ordered the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) to conduct a transparent probe. As rescue operations conclude, the government faces mounting pressure to address the lax enforcement of safety regulations that frequently lead to deadly accidents at infrastructure sites.
