South Korean man and Thai wife die in crane collapse one day after marriage
A South Korean man and his Thai wife lost their lives in the Nakhon Ratchasima crane disaster on Wednesday, January 14, one day after their marriage.
Authorities confirmed that a German national and a South Korean man were among 32 people killed when a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in Korat on Wednesday. While the German man’s Thai wife survived the crash, the South Korean man and his Thai spouse both lost their lives at the scene.
The South Korean victim was identified as 37 year old Kim Yongho, while his wife was 35 year old Surattiyakorn “Kai” Kanya. The couple were travelling to Kai’s home province of Si Saket to visit her family when the fatal accident occurred.
According to ThaiRath, funeral rites for the couple were held at Kai’s family home in the Wang Hin district of Si Saket. Family members and relatives were overcome with grief, particularly Kai’s mother, 60 year old Lamyong Kanya, who spoke tearfully to the media.
Lamyong said her daughter and Kim had been together for more than 10 years. Kai later moved to South Korea around four years ago to work as a masseuse and became the main breadwinner for the family, regularly sending money home each month.
She revealed that the couple returned to Thailand in December last year to visit relatives and complete their marriage registration. They officially signed their marriage certificate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on January 13, just one day before boarding the train in the deadly crane collapse.
Lamyong also shared her affection for her South Korean son-in-law, saying Kai had previously been married to a Thai man and had two children. Kim, she said, loved the children as if they were his own.
“I don’t know how we will go on without them,” Lamyong said, urging government agencies to take responsibility and provide proper compensation for the losses caused by reckless negligence.
Another Thai couple who perished in the same incident were identified as 59 year old Kriangsak and 58 year old Wantanee. Their three daughters told Channel 7 that their parents were travelling to Ubon Ratchathani to make merit in celebration of their 30th wedding anniversary.
The daughters said their parents’ bodies were severely burned, but they were able to recognise their mother from a gold necklace she was wearing. The family is now awaiting DNA confirmation before proceeding with funeral arrangements.
