SONGKHLA: An unidentified homeless man, said to be mentally deranged, was hit and killed by an oncoming train after standing on a rail track near Hat Yai railway junction on Saturday, according to railway police.
Pol Capt Prawit Withayasophanan, a railway police investigator, said the incident occurred at about 6.30pm on the rail track running through Prateep Community, about 1 kilometre from Hat Yai railway junction.
Eyewitnesses said the man, about 30 years old, stood on the rail track while train No 46 (Padang Besar-Bangkok) was approaching Hat Yai junction. The train driver blew the whistle on seeing him, but the man stood still and let himself be hit by the train. The violent impact threw him into the ditch by the rail track. He died instantly, lying face down in the water.
No identification documents were found on the body. Residents living by the railway said the man, who appeared to be mentally sick, had wandered in the area begging for food.
Police sent his body to Hat Yai Hospital for an autopsy.
