BANGKOK, Thailand — At least eight people were killed and dozens more injured after a freight train collided with a public bus at the Asoke-Din Daeng railway crossing in Bangkok on Saturday, May 16.
Authorities revealed that the freight train driver tested positive for drugs and has been charged with reckless driving, though officials have not specified the substances detected, according to the BBC. In addition, both the bus driver and the railway guard responsible for manually lowering the crossing barrier face charges related to the crash.
Emergency Response and Preliminary Findings
Preliminary black box data from the train indicates that the emergency braking system was engaged only about 100 meters (330 feet) before impact, far too short a distance to prevent the collision, Thai PBS reported.
Video footage captured the train barreling into the crowded bus near a busy airport station. The force of the crash pushed several nearby vehicles onto the tracks and caused the bus to ignite, spreading flames to other cars. Some motorcyclists were thrown from their vehicles in the chaos.
Rescue crews were later seen climbing into the burned-out bus, searching for survivors and recovering bodies from the wreckage.
Eyewitness Account
Kittipong Raksa, who stopped near the crossing after hearing a train warning signal, told the Associated Press he never saw the crossing barriers lowered.
“I heard a thud and then another,” Raksa said. “I heard something hitting my car. Then I saw the train pass, dragging the bus with it.” He later discovered a person trapped beneath his vehicle with a broken leg.
Government Response
In response to the tragedy, Thailand’s rail transport department has ordered mandatory drug and alcohol testing for all train drivers and railway staff prior to their shifts, Director-General Pichet Kunadhamraks told the BBC.
Transportation safety in Thailand has long been a concern, with speeding, impaired driving, and inconsistent enforcement of traffic laws frequently cited as factors in deadly accidents, according to AFP reports.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash, including the roles of all drivers and railway personnel involved.
