Bangkok Train-Bus Crash Kills 8 and Injures Dozens as Bus Stalls on Tracks
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 16
Bangkok Train-Bus Crash Kills 8 and Injures Dozens as Bus Stalls on Tracks
12 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 16
At least eight people were killed and dozens injured after a freight train hit a public bus near Makkasan station in central Bangkok on Saturday, igniting a fire that also struck nearby vehicles.
Initial findings cited by Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said heavy traffic left the bus stopped on the tracks, preventing crossing barriers from closing before the container train arrived.
Firefighters brought the blaze under control and shifted to cooling the area, venting gas and searching the wreckage while rescue teams pulled out injured passengers.
Authorities are still investigating the full cause, extending scrutiny of rail-crossing safety after earlier reports said the crash happened around 3:40 p.m. local time near an airport rail link station.
Was the Bangkok train crash a simple barrier failure or a sign of a deeper crisis in its transport strategy?
As Thailand spends billions on new railways, why do fatal accidents on its old tracks persist?