Eight Dead, 32 Hurt as Freight Train Collides with Bus in Thailand

Select Language:

Emergency crews respond at the scene where a train hit a bus and several vehicles on Asok-Din Daeng Road, leading to casualties in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 16, 2026. — Reuters/File

Rescue operations are ongoing as the fire is brought under control: official.
Authorities are investigating the incident to determine its cause.
Witnesses report that cars and motorcycles were also involved in the crash.

At least eight individuals lost their lives, and 32 others sustained injuries in Thailand on Saturday after a freight train collided with a bus at a railway crossing in Bangkok. The impact caused a fire that consumed the vehicle, according to rescue officials and a deputy transport minister.

Emergency personnel and firefighters arrived quickly as flames engulfed the bus and nearby vehicles close to the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station. Officials noted that the collision also involved cars and motorcycles.

Initial reports indicate the bus was stopped on the tracks at a red light, which prevented the crossing barriers from lowering, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters.

The train, which was hauling containers, was unable to halt in time to avoid hitting the bus, he added.

“Eight people have died, and 32 are injured; the wounded are being treated across various hospitals. All fatalities were on the bus,” he said.

Social media footage shows the train striking the bus and dragging several other vehicles along the tracks.

Witness Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver, described the scene: “The bus was stuck at a red light, so it couldn’t move. Other cars were also trapped and couldn’t advance.”

“The fire broke out immediately… If it had been a regular workday, the damage could have been much worse.”

Rescue teams worked swiftly to extract injured victims from the wreckage, while fire crews battled the flames using water hoses, officials reported.

The fire has been subdued, with crews now cooling down the area, venting gas, and continuing the search for victims. Investigations are underway to determine what caused the accident.

Thailand’s roads are among the most hazardous worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, primarily due to lax enforcement of safety standards.