At least eight people were killed and 32 others injured on Saturday after a freight train struck a public bus at a rail crossing in downtown Bangkok. The collision occurred in the late afternoon near the Airport Rail Link's Makkasan station in the Ratchathewi district. All eight fatalities were on the bus.
Preliminary reports indicate the bus had stopped on the tracks at a red light, which prevented the crossing barriers from closing. A freight train transporting containers was unable to stop in time, striking the bus and dragging several nearby cars and motorcycles along the tracks. Witnesses reported that other vehicles were also blocked and unable to move forward before the impact.
The collision immediately triggered a fire that engulfed the bus and other nearby vehicles. Firefighters and rescue crews were dispatched to the scene, using water hoses to battle the blaze while pulling injured victims from the wreckage. Emergency teams eventually brought the fire under control, cooling the area and venting gas as they continued to search for victims.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the incident. The crash occurs within a broader context of safety issues, as Thailand’s roads rank among the world’s deadliest according to the World Health Organization due to weak enforcement of safety standards.