The freight train that hit a passenger bus in Bangkok on Saturday afternoon, killing eight people and injuring many more, was in violation of the ban on entering Bangkok during the day, according to Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat.
Mr Siripong told Chula Radio on Tuesday morning that a railway regulation prohibited freight trains running in Bangkok from 5am to 9pm. The Laem Chabang-Bang Sue train that collided with the passenger bus violated that ban.
The deputy transport minister said freight trains could run in Bangkok between 9pm and 5am. The collision train had actually been scheduled to depart Laem Chabang port in Chon Buri at midnight.
“I assume that the regulation was not enforced strictly because the train's departure was delayed for 900 minutes [15 hours]. It ran during the day instead. That is not allowed,” Mr Siripong said.
Officials had told him the regulation had not been emphasized. The Transport Ministry was now clearly repeating the instruction, he said.
“If freight trains are delayed they must wait for the resumption of operating hours, at night,” Mr Siripong said.
The Transport Ministry was taking disciplinary action against the freight train driver and the level crossing supervisor involved, he said. The train driver had been suspended from duty, and would also be prosecuted for drug abuse.
The crossing supervisor and the engineer on the train had been transferred to jobs outside train operations pending further investigation.
The Transport Ministry had also, meanwhile, ordered drug tests for all bus and train drivers.
The train and bus drivers and the level crossing supervisor have been charged by police with recklessness causing death and injury.
The tragedy occurred on a level crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Huai Khwang district, Bangkok around mid-afternoon on Saturday.
The freight train hit a passenger bus that had stopped on the level crossing because the road was heavily congested. The safety barriers were not engaged.
Eight people were killed and 30 others injured. The bus burst into flames. Four cars and 15 motorcycles were also damaged.
