Lopburi driver escapes train collision in last-second leap after car stalls on tracks

A driver’s split-second decision saved his life as he escaped from his car just moments before it was hit by an approaching train. The Suzuki Swift, driven by a 50 year old man, stalled on the tracks in Chai Badan, Lopburi today, leading to a dramatic scene and a minor traffic interruption.

Montri Naebnian’s vehicle veered off the road while crossing the track, its wheels becoming lodged on the railway sleepers with no hope of traction. Desperate, he shouted for assistance, but his pleas went unheard. With all attempts to move the car proving fruitless, he heard the looming sound of the freight train approaching. Basing his survival on a life or death decision, he flung the car door open, throwing himself clear of the oncoming train, reported KhaoSod. Montri said…

“I heard the train’s horn, so I decided to jump out of the sedan. The train struck my car with a loud noise and dragged it more than 200 metres before the train eventually came to a halt.

“I believe it was due to my amulet of Luang Pu Thuad. It was my faith in the amulet that gave me the courage to leap out of the car in time.”

The site of the crash was a straight track that did not have a barrier. The freight train was travelling from Koy district in Saraburi province to Nong Khai province. As it approached the accident location, which was in a downhill area, the train’s headlight shone low. The vehicle wasn’t visible until the train crested the hill and was very close, stated Seehadech Rachfu, a railway inspector from Lopburi. Despite desperate braking, the train was unable to stop in time, hitting the trapped sedan.

Three weeks ago, a train collision occurred between a freight train and a parked lorry near the Srakosinaray Station in the Ratchaburi province, injuring three State Railway of Thailand (SRT) staff members. The accident caused travel delays on the Thonburi-Namtok line, with some passengers having to be transferred by road vehicles to their destinations. To read more click HERE.