8 killed and 3 injured after pickup collides with train near Bangkok

A pickup truck collided with a train in the early hours of this morning killing eight Thai people and injuring three others near Klong Udon Chonlajon in Chachoengsao province near Bangkok.

Mueang Chachoengsao Police Station officers and a rescue team promptly rushed to the scene at approximately 3am today, August 4. They found a train, laden with containers, positioned on the railway tracks. Around 50 meters away from the train’s front, lay a completely wrecked bronze Isuzu pickup.

According to the police report, the victims were identified as five men and three women, all found dead along the railway. The three injured individuals were swiftly transported to the hospital, with one of them in critical condition, suffering from a broken left arm and right leg. The other two sustained relatively milder injuries, comprising of wounds and bruises.

The pickup driver, 55 year old Wichai Yulek, miraculously escaped the accident unharmed and waited at the scene to provide his account of the incident. Wichai recounted that he and 11 other colleagues were en route from Bua Roi Temple in the Latkrabang district of Bangkok to a fish farm in the Klong Udom district of Chachoengsao province.

As they approached the railway, Wichai noticed the oncoming train and came to a stop. However, one of the passengers urged him to proceed, assuring him that they could cross the railway in time. Tragically, they could not make it in time, and the train collided with the back of the pickup, where most of the colleagues were seated.

In a contrasting account reported by Channel 8, it was suggested that the driver might not have noticed the approaching train due to poor visibility caused by the dark accident spot and the elevated position of the railway, creating a blind spot for motorists. Disturbingly, pictures shared by news agencies revealed the absence of a barrier gate or warning light at the location to signal motorists about the oncoming train.

Suraphat Prasop, a 20 year old passenger who suffered injuries, recalled the terrifying moment. Many of his colleagues were asleep when the incident occurred, but he quickly realized that the train would collide with the pickup.

Displaying immense bravery, Suraphat decided to jump out of the vehicle to save his life. He urged his colleagues to do the same, and in those terrifying moments, he heard the train whistle three times before the crash occurred.

The fish farm they were heading to was just 5 kilometres away from the accident scene.

The rescue team promptly transferred the eight dead bodies to the Chachoengsao Charity Cemetery for an autopsy. Additionally, relevant departments have set up a centre to aid the deceased’s relatives in retrieving the bodies for the funeral ceremony.