A construction crane working on a high-speed rail project collapsed onto a moving passenger train in northeast Thailand on Wednesday morning, killing 29 people and injuring approximately 80 others, Al Jazeera reported.
The disaster occurred around 9:00 a.m. in Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometres (143 miles) northeast of Bangkok. Special Train No. 21 was travelling from the Thai capital to Ubon Ratchathani when it struck the fallen crane, causing it to derail and briefly catch fire.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed 195 passengers were on board and ordered a comprehensive investigation into the accident.
Crane 'Sliced Carriage in Half'
Local resident Mitr Intrpanya, 54, witnessed the horrific scene unfold.
'At around 9:00 a.m., I heard a loud noise, like something sliding down from above, followed by two explosions,' Mitr told the AFP.
'When I went to see what had happened, I found the crane sitting on a passenger train with three carriages. The metal from the crane appeared to strike the middle of the second carriage, slicing it in half.'
Those killed were in two of the three carriages hit by the crane, the transport minister said. Emergency responders rushed to the site with hydraulic cutters to free passengers trapped in the twisted wreckage. Images released by the State Railway of Thailand showed overturned carriages crushed beneath massive construction beams.
China-Backed High-Speed Rail Project
The crane was working on a $5.4 billion (£4.4 billion) project to build a high-speed rail network backed by Beijing. The ambitious infrastructure initiative aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 as part of China's vast Belt and Road programme.
Construction has been ongoing for approximately a decade. The elevated high-speed line is being built above the existing rail line that the passenger trains use.
'This route has been the site of a high-speed Chinese rail project, which has been under construction for quite some time now,' Al Jazeera reported.
'Pictures that we have seen of the scene seem to show the crane, which was working up there has fallen from these big concrete columns.'
Death Toll Rose Throughout Morning
Deeply saddened by the tragic incident involving a train in Nakhon Ratchasima this morning. My thoughts are with all those affected. The UK stands with Thailand at this difficult time.
— Mark Gooding (@markgooding) January 14, 2026
Initial reports suggested only four fatalities. That number climbed to 12, then rapidly increased as rescue workers accessed the wreckage.
The death toll is expected to rise further. Police said more bodies remained trapped inside the mangled carriages, but recovery efforts had to be suspended when the crane began shifting dangerously.
'Emergency workers attempting to retrieve bodies from the wreckage had to pull back as the crane started shifting,' Police Colonel Thatchapon Chinnawong told media agencies.
Sikhio Hospital, Pak Chong Nana Hospital, Theparat Hospital, and Bangkok Ratchasima Hospital are treating survivors. Several injured passengers remain in critical condition, the BBC reported.
Safety Concerns Over Construction Standards
Industrial and construction site accidents have long plagued Thailand, where lax enforcement of safety regulations frequently leads to deadly incidents, the AFP report added.
Deputy Prime Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn pledged a transparent inquiry and instructed agencies to verify casualties and monitor the injured closely. He said families of deceased railway staff would receive compensation.
The Governor of the State Railway of Thailand has been tasked with determining how the crane collapsed onto a moving train and implementing measures to prevent similar disasters.
The route serves heavily populated regions of northeast Thailand and is considered one of the country's most important rail corridors. The accident has raised fresh questions about safety standards on major infrastructure projects involving foreign contractors.
Fire crews managed to extinguish the blaze that erupted after the derailment. Rescue operations continued throughout Wednesday as investigators examined the collapsed crane and the surrounding construction site.
