Surat Thani train tragedy claims life of mother and daughter
Tragedy struck in Surat Thani last night as a devastating railway accident claimed the lives of a mother and her young daughter, leaving a married couple fighting for their lives. The heart-wrenching incident unfolded at around 7pm, yesterday, September 29, at a railway crossing on the road to Ban Bang Por in tambon Tha Chang of Tha Chang district.
Emergency crews arrived to find the wreckage of a white Honda City, registered to Surat Thani, a harrowing 4 metres from the crossing. Inside the twisted metal, Suchawadee Wisetkaeo and her husband Withaya Panasee, both 34, were found critically injured and swiftly transported to Tha Chang Hospital.
Just metres away lay the bodies of 52 year old Aranya Pahamak and her nine year old daughter, Supatthida Panasee. All victims were residents of the Tha Chang district, simply returning from a family visit in tambon Tha Chang when disaster struck, reported Bangkok Post.
The railway crossing, alarmingly equipped with only flashing lights and no protective barriers, was lashed with heavy rain as the tragic events unfolded. The ill-fated car was struck by a Sprinter train bound for Bangkok, a mere 30 minutes after leaving Surat Thani station, according to police reports.
Miraculously, the train received only minor damage and continued its journey after a three-hour delay. But for the families torn apart by this catastrophic collision, life will never be the same again.
In related news, tragedy struck in Chumphon today when a pickup truck was obliterated by a speeding train at a railway crossing, killing the two adults inside but miraculously sparing a child found alive amidst the wreckage.
The horrifying collision occurred around 10.30am, today, September 17, when Special Express train No.40, travelling from Surat Thani to Bangkok, smashed into the vehicle just 30 kilometres after departing Lamae Train Station. The violent impact left the pickup crushed and flipped upside down beside the tracks.
