On the afternoon of May 16, 2026, a container freight train collided with a public bus and caused a fire at the railway crossing on Asok–Din Daeng Road in Bangkok’s Ratchathewi district. The site was near the Airport Rail Link’s Makkasan station, and other vehicles were also damaged.
Al Jazeera reported on May 16 that Bangkok’s Erawan Medical Center had confirmed eight deaths. Citing AFP, it also reported that Urumporn Koondejsumrit, chief of Makkasan Police Station, said at least 35 people were injured. These were figures reported after the crash; contemporary media reports gave differing injury totals.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters at the scene that all the bodies had been found on the bus, while the total number of people on board was not yet known. He said matters including whether the crossing barriers had lowered properly still needed to be investigated.
Thairath reported on May 17 that the Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Rail Transport said preliminary data from the train’s black box indicated a speed of about 35 kilometres per hour at impact. He said the driver applied the emergency brakes about 100 metres before the collision point.
The director-general also said the signalling system had been functioning normally, but the crossing barriers had not lowered as usual. He said the heavily loaded train required nearly two kilometres to stop. These were the official’s preliminary statements at the time, rather than final technical findings; the cause, braking distance and crossing operations remained to be verified.
According to a May 17 statement from Thailand’s Government Public Relations Department, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul visited the crash site on the evening of May 16 and met injured victims receiving treatment at Camillian Hospital. He instructed the relevant agencies to provide full medical care, compensation and assistance as quickly as possible, and said the State Railway of Thailand and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority would work together to assist those affected and the victims’ families.
The government said an urgent investigation into the cause was underway and that it would strengthen measures to prevent similar accidents.
Hospital visit pictured in the Thai Government Public Relations Department’s report on assistance after the collision.
