At least 28 people were killed and dozens injured on Wednesday after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Thailand, derailing the service and igniting renewed concerns over safety standards at major infrastructure sites.
The accident occurred in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of Bangkok, at a construction zone linked to a China-backed high-speed rail project. Authorities confirmed that the train, travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, derailed and caught fire after the massive crane fell onto the tracks.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health said 64 passengers were hospitalised, with seven reported to be in critical condition. Rescue teams worked for hours to extract survivors from tilted train carriages, briefly suspending operations due to reports of chemical leakage at the site.
Eyewitness Mitr Intrpanya, 54, described hearing a thunderous crash followed by explosions before discovering the crane resting atop the train. “The metal from the crane struck the second carriage and sliced it in half,” he told reporters, recounting the shock and confusion that followed.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said 195 people were on board the train at the time of the incident, adding that authorities were still working to identify the victims and notify their families.
The collapsed crane was part of a more than $5 billion high-speed rail project supported by China under its Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at linking Bangkok to Kunming in southwestern China via Laos by 2028. Engineering consultant Theerachote Rujiviphat said the Thai construction firm Italian-Thai Development, contracted to build the affected section, was solely responsible for the crane and its failure.
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Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered a full investigation and called for accountability, warning that repeated safety lapses by construction firms must no longer be tolerated. He suggested stricter laws, including blacklisting companies with poor safety records.
China’s foreign ministry expressed condolences to the victims and said Beijing was closely monitoring developments, noting that the section under construction was being handled by a Thai contractor.
The tragedy has once again highlighted Thailand’s persistent safety challenges in industrial and construction projects, where weak enforcement of regulations has contributed to frequent and sometimes deadly accidents. As mourning families await answers, pressure is mounting on authorities to ensure justice for the victims and prevent future loss of life.