The State Railway of Thailand has ordered compensation for the injured and deceased, with full medical care provided for the injured. They are urgently planning to recover the train carriages and have ordered an immediate halt to construction in the area to clear the way for a thorough and transparent investigation into the cause. Meanwhile, Nakhon Ratchasima province has established an incident command center on site to manage the situation.
14 Jan 2026 GMT+7 – Mr. Anan Phonimdaeng, Deputy Governor of the State Railway of Thailand, acting Governor of SRT, revealed details of the accident where a construction crane collapsed onto Special Express Train No. 21 running from Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal to Ubon Ratchathani. The incident occurred between Nong Nam Khun and Si Kio stations in Nakhon Ratchasima. The SRT has clearly defined assistance and compensation measures for those affected: each deceased victim will receive 40,000 baht for funeral expenses and an additional 40,000 baht as preliminary aid. The SRT will also facilitate repatriation of remains according to relatives’ wishes. For the injured, SRT will cover all medical expenses and assign staff to assist and facilitate their return home.
Regarding the cause of the accident, the investigation process has already begun. Initially, it is known that an engineer supervising the work was present at the site during the incident. The train driver is safe and has left the area. The crane operator is still being located and further investigated. Construction in the area has been temporarily suspended to allow a careful and transparent investigation of the cause.
This incident has disrupted Ubon Ratchathani train services, forcing a temporary closure of the main route at the accident site. The SRT has adjusted train operations by rerouting trains via Nong Bua as an alternate path. They are preparing to announce updated travel information and stations that remain open for passenger service to minimize disruption to the public's travel plans.
Mr. Anan explained that recovery efforts are highly complex because the collapsed construction crane weighs approximately 400 tons. Currently, efforts are underway to secure a suitably large crane to move the wreckage, which is expected to take considerable time. After clearing the area, a detailed inspection of railway safety and track conditions will be conducted before normal train service resumes.
At the same time, Nakhon Ratchasima province has set up an incident command center led by the provincial governor, who is coordinating among relevant agencies. They are mobilizing personnel and machinery to assist fully, emphasizing the paramount concern of preventing secondary accidents during recovery. Every step will include strict safety evaluations to protect the lives of workers and the public as a top priority.
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