Thailand train-bus crash compensation paid, motorists charged
Six of the eight families of those killed in the Thailand train bus collision on May 16 have received compensation, with charges filed against the train driver and motorists found blocking the tracks, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkaskulkiat announced yesterday, May 26.
The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have jointly paid out 2.9 million baht to the six approved families. A further 300,000 baht per case is pending approval from the Rights Protection Fund, with the BMTA and SRT to submit those requests.
Injured survivors have also received initial payments, with compensation for remaining victims to follow.
The Rail Transport Department has filed a negligence complaint against the train driver. Separate charges have been filed against the drivers of all vehicles found parked on or across the railway tracks at the time of the collision for traffic violations. Police investigators are continuing proceedings against those involved.
Asked whether the Ministry of Transport would conduct a formal review of the incident, Siripong said the ministry had not used that framing, adding that the underlying problems should have been addressed long ago.
He described the collision as an accident waiting to happen, and said unsafe rail crossings used as informal shortcuts between the tracks and nearby communities would be addressed immediately.
The ministry has already consulted with the Railway Technology Research and Development Institute on using revenue from the premium licence plate number fund to upgrade rail crossing safety infrastructure.
The programme will be piloted in Bangkok and surrounding areas before being rolled out nationally, with warning lights, audible alerts, and potentially automatic barriers and detection systems to be installed at crossings to reduce the risk of human error.
On calls from the State Railway of Thailand Labour Union for additional staffing to address management shortfalls, Siripong said he believed technology could substitute for personnel.
He noted that staff numbers had previously been reduced without corresponding investment in technology, and said that if additional staff were needed, the employment model may need to change to avoid long-term budget commitments.
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