Bangkok Freight Train Driver Charged After 8 Die in Bus Crash, Tests Positive for Drugs
Updated
Updated · BBC.com · May 18
Bangkok Freight Train Driver Charged After 8 Die in Bus Crash, Tests Positive for Drugs
12 articles · Updated · BBC.com · May 18
Thai police said the freight train driver in Saturday's Bangkok crossing crash tested positive for drugs and now faces a reckless-driving charge after the collision killed 8 and injured 32.
Black-box data showed the train's emergency brakes were activated only about 100 meters before impact, too late to avoid the bus, which had stopped on the tracks in heavy traffic.
Police also charged the bus driver and the crossing guard, as the manually operated barrier reportedly could not lower properly at the jammed Asoke-Din Daeng crossing.
Thailand's rail department has ordered mandatory drug and alcohol tests before shifts for all train drivers and railway staff after the disaster.
Engineers say more than 100,000 vehicles use the crossing daily, far above safe levels, underscoring long-standing risks at one of Bangkok's busiest intersections.
Beyond one drugged driver, how deep does the safety rot run in Thailand's State Railway system?
After another tragedy, can Thailand finally fix its reputation for having the world's deadliest roads?