At least 28 people have died after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand, derailing carriages and sparking a fire in one of the coaches, authorities said.
The train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province when the crane fell onto the track at about 09:00 local time, according to official records. About 195 passengers were on board at the time.
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Rescue teams evacuated all passengers from the wreckage, while 64 injured people were taken to hospitals across the region. Eight of them remain in a severe condition. Among the injured are a one-year-old child and an 85-year-old adult.
The crane was part of construction work on an overhead railway linked to a China-backed project aimed at connecting Bangkok to neighbouring Laos. Laos is already connected by a Chinese-built high-speed rail line that runs into southwestern China.
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One survivor, train staff member Thirasak Wongsoongnern, described the moment of impact. “We were thrown into the air when the crane came down on the train,” he told local media.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered an immediate investigation and called for accountability. “Someone must be punished and held accountable,” he said. “Accidents like this can only happen due to negligence, skipped steps, deviations from the design, or the use of incorrect materials.”
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Thailand has seen a series of deadly construction and transport accidents in recent years, often blamed on weak enforcement of safety rules.
The BBC reported that the government is under growing pressure to tighten safety oversight as major infrastructure projects expand nationwide
