Police have finally identified the eighth victim of the horrific level crossing collision involvng a train and a bus, after his friends reported him absent from work.
Pol Capt Jaruwat Buakaew, deputy superintendent of Makkasan police, said on Monday that forensic tests had now confirmed the last victim's identity,
He was Sermlarp Pinthong, according to numerous news reports.
Police had been trying to put a name to the eighth victim since the deadly accident in Bangkok on May 16. The seven other severely burned victims were identified earlier from DNA-matching with relatives.
A freight train hit passenger bus No.206, which had stopped on the Asok-Phetchaburi crossing because of traffic congestion. Several cars and motorbikes were also damaged. In addition to the eight deaths, 32 people were injured.
Pol Capt Jaruwat said Sermlarp's friends reported he been out of contact since May 16, a Saturday. He was also not at work on May 18, a Monday. He was rarely absent.
Sermlarp had no siblings and he regularly took buses around the city on weekends, going sightseeing, according to his friends.
Police finally found a male cousin, who gave a DNA sample for testing at the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital. Samples were also taken from items collected from the room where Sermlarp stayed. A comparison confirmed the eighth victim's identity.
Police have pressed charges of recklessness leading to death and injury against the bus driver, train driver and railway crossing duty supervisor.
