At least 32 killed after crane collapses on train in Thailand

At least 32 people have been killed and 66 others injured after a construction crane fell onto a moving train in north-east Thailand.

The crane derailed the train and crushed some of its carriages, one of which caught fire. A one-year-old and an 85-year-old are among those injured, with seven people in critical condition, say authorities.

Officials say some 171 passengers were on board the train when the accident occurred at around 09:00 local time (02:00 GMT).

Thai state railways says it is taking legal action against the construction company responsible for the crane. The Italian-Thai Development Company expressed regret, saying it would compensate families of the dead and injured.

The train had been travelling from Bangkok to north-eastern Ubon Ratchathani province when the accident occurred. It was carrying mostly students and workers travelling for school and work in other districts.

Local outlet The Nation reported that the incident occurred while the crane was lifting a large concrete section which dropped on to the train, causing several coaches to derail.

One survivor, train staff member Thirasak Wongsoongnern, told local media that he and the other passengers were thrown into the air after the crane fell on them.

An eyewitness, Maliwan Nakthon, told BBC Thai that she witnessed the moment the crane collapsed. “There were small pieces, like fragments of concrete, that started falling,” she said. “After those fell, the crane slowly slid down and hit. It struck hard, and then it came down and crushed the train.

“The whole incident took less than one minute,” she added.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is due to visit the scene later on Wednesday, called for “someone [to] be punished and held accountable” for the incident, which is being investigated.

“Accidents like this can only happen due to negligence, skipped steps, deviations from the design, or the use of incorrect materials,” Anutin said.

The crane was being used to build an overhead railway that is part of a US$5.4bn (£4bn) China-backed project to link Bangkok with neighbouring Laos, where a Chinese-built high-speed line is already running to south-western China.

Known officially as the Bangkok-Nong Khai HSR Development for Regional Connectivity, the Italian-Thai Development Company is listed as the firm in charge of the Lam Takhong-Sikhio section where the incident took place.

The State Railway of Thailand has announced that it is suing the company. The initial cost of damages for the train carriages alone is reported to be more than 100 million baht (US$3.1m).

One of Thailand’s biggest contractors, the company was responsible for the construction of a Bangkok skyscraper that collapsed last March during an earthquake. Last year the company’s president and several designers and engineers were charged with professional negligence over that incident. Some have denied wrongdoing.

The Chinese embassy in Thailand said that no Chinese construction companies or workers were involved in the collapse, Chinese state media reported.

Thailand is no stranger to deadly construction accidents, due in part to weak enforcement of safety standards and regulations.

In 2023, a freight train collided with a pick-up truck that was crossing railway tracks in the country’s east, killing eight people and injuring four others.

Around 150 people have been killed over the past seven years in numerous accidents on a road improvement project from Bangkok to the south of the country.

Correction: This article was amended to reflect that 100 million baht is $3.1m.