January 15, 2026, 1:17 p.mJanuary 15, 2026, 1:17 p.m
Just one day after the fatal train accident in Thailand caused by a falling construction crane, a similar accident occurred near Bangkok.
Two people were killed and five others were injured when a construction crane suddenly fell onto a highway in Samut Sakhon this morning (local time). Parts of the steel frame hit two cars, the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted the police as saying.
Cause still unclear
It was said that the crane was used to build a highway bridge. The Rama 2 expressway is a main artery connecting Bangkok with the south of the country. It is also often used by holidaymakers to reach the seaside resort of Hua Hin. It is still unclear what caused the latest accident – the second in just 24 hours.
It was not the first serious accident on the busy route over which an elevated expressway is currently being built: in March last year, a pillar under construction collapsed and fell onto the road. Six people – mostly workers – were killed and many more were injured.
Search for missing people canceled after train accident
Just on Wednesday, in Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, a construction crane fell onto a fully occupied train, which then derailed and partially caught fire. At least 32 people were killed and more than 60 others were injured, some seriously.
The search for three people who were still missing was called off, the media reported, citing the emergency services. Only body fragments were recovered and sent for forensic identification.
The investigation into the cause of the accident is currently in full swing. The police are collecting evidence and have summoned representatives of two construction companies involved for questioning, the police emphasized. However, no charges have been brought yet.
The huge crane was used to build a railway bridge for the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway (HGV), which will in the future connect Thailand with China via Laos. The project is part of the huge Chinese infrastructure initiative “New Silk Road”.
Salvaging the completely destroyed wagons continued to be difficult. The important railway line to the north-east of Thailand is currently blocked. Numerous trains had to be rerouted.
Safety measures on construction sites are being reviewed
Meanwhile, Thailand’s Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has ordered an immediate halt to construction of all elevated road and railway projects in the country. The minister said in a television interview that the measure applies pending a comprehensive review of safety standards on the construction sites. Phiphat announced a meeting with all construction companies involved in the afternoon to discuss additional safety measures.
The president of the Thai Civil Engineers Association, Amorn Pimanmas, pointed to different causes of the two accidents. In the expressway project, the crane broke in the middle in a V-shape, which indicates faulty bolts or defects in assembly. In the accident on the railway construction site, however, the crane base gave way. However, both incidents revealed serious deficiencies in the security standards of large infrastructure projects that urgently need to be remedied. (sda/dpa)
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