At Least 22 Killed After Crane Collapse Derails Passenger Train In Thailand

Last Updated:January 14, 2026, 10:40 IST

The crane was part of a $5.4-billion high-speed rail project linking Bangkok with Kunming in China via Laos, a flagship initiative supported by Beijing.

The accident occured in in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of Bangkok | Image: X

At least 22 people were killed and more than 30 others injured after a crane collapsed onto a passenger train in Thailand on Wednesday, derailing the coaches and triggering a fire, according to local authorities.

The accident occurred around 9 am local time in Nakhon Ratchasima province, northeast of Bangkok, when a crane being used to construct a China-backed high-speed rail project toppled onto a moving train.

The impact caused several coaches to leave the tracks and catch fire, officials said.

Confirming the toll, local police chief Thatchapon Chinnawong said 22 fatalities had been recorded, while rescue teams continued to search the wreckage and assist the injured.

Provincial authorities said the train was en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani at the time of the crash.

Television footage from the scene showed emergency workers scrambling amid twisted metal, with a brightly coloured passenger train lying on its side as smoke rose from the damaged carriages.

Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said 195 passengers were on board and efforts were underway to identify those killed.

The crane was part of a $5.4-billion high-speed rail project linking Bangkok with Kunming in China via Laos, a flagship initiative supported by Beijing under its Belt and Road programme, which aims to complete the route by 2028.

Thailand has a history of industrial and construction-related accidents, often attributed to weak enforcement of safety standards, and authorities have ordered an investigation into the cause of Wednesday’s deadly collapse.

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