The Minister of Justice visited Si Khio to provide 200,000 baht compensation for each victim of the deadly crane accident, ordering urgent payment within 24 hours. Injured persons will receive actual medical expenses up to 50,000 baht each, with an option to file for additional damages.
The incident involved a construction crane operated by Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited, working on the high-speed rail project contracts 3-4 for the Lam Takhong–Si Khio and Kut Jik–Khok Kruat sections. The crane fell onto Special Express Train No. 21 traveling the Bangkok–Ubon Ratchathani route, causing the train to derail and catch fire. As of now, 32 people have died and 67 have been injured.
At 11:00 a.m. on 15 Jan 2026 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant General Ruthapol Nawarath, Minister of Justice, along with executives and officials from the Department of Rights and Liberties Protection, visited the accident site to assess the situation and expedite urgent aid and compensation measures for the victims.
Police Lieutenant General Ruthapol said after inspecting the site that the Ministry of Justice has allocated a budget under the Compensation for Victims and Defendants in Criminal Cases Act to grant 200,000 baht to each deceased victim's family, directing payment within 24 hours to alleviate initial hardship. Injured persons will receive actual medical expenses up to 50,000 baht each. If hospitalization causes income loss, daily compensation will be calculated, potentially totaling up to 100,000 baht per person. This budget is provided by the government through the Ministry of Justice and is separate from the Prime Minister's announced assistance of no less than one million baht per deceased victim, as well as unrelated to the 80,000 baht aid from other agencies previously explained. Officials will carefully verify the passenger list for accuracy.
Additionally, the Minister of Justice emphasized that if families of the deceased or injured have concerns about compensation, they may pursue additional damages through legal action. He assigned the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial justice office to proactively reach out directly to victims' families to provide legal advice and offer close emotional support.
Regarding the investigation into the two contractor companies, which had previously been subjects of audits by the Office of the Auditor General, the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Police have been assigned to investigate and collect evidence. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) has not been involved in this matter.