In a devastating accident that occurred early Friday morning in Chachoengsao province, Thailand, eight people lost their lives and four others were injured when a freight train collided with a pickup truck at an unsanctioned railway crossing. The incident, which took place at approximately 2:20 a.m. local time, has left the community in mourning.
The 54-year-old driver of the pickup truck, Wichai Yulek, recounted how he had spotted the approaching train and even heard a warning horn. He tried to slow down but was encouraged by the passengers in the vehicle to continue crossing the tracks. Tragically, it became clear that they wouldn't make it across in time to avoid the collision.
Among the deceased were three women aged 22, 55, and 64, along with five men aged 18, 27, 55, 60, and 62. Their bodies were taken to a police hospital to allow grieving relatives to prepare for religious rites.
According to Suraphat Prasop, a 20-year-old passenger who was in the truck with fellow workers heading to Laem Chabang in Chonburi Province, the driver had been warned by the train's horn, which sounded three times. However, the driver did not stop in time, leading to the devastating outcome.
Authorities revealed that the accident occurred at an unauthorized crossing point, lacking the essential automatic barriers that could have prevented such tragedies. Astonishingly, there are currently 693 unauthorized crossing points in use throughout the national rail system.
In an effort to prevent similar accidents in the future, the State Railway of Thailand will likely review safety measures and assess the need for better warning systems and barriers at these unauthorized crossing points.
