The train driver admitted to using marijuana and methamphetamine 10 days before the incident and was found to have a prior drug-related offense. Police plan to summon legal officers from the State Railway to investigate operational regulations.
At Makkasan Police Station at 12:00 on 18 May 2026, Pol. Maj. Gen. Warasak Phisitbanakorn, Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, revealed after a meeting on the train-bus collision case lasting over an hour that a working committee was formed to investigate and divide responsibilities. Initially, charges were filed against the bus driver. The bus driver was charged. Specifically, with reckless driving causing death, serious injury, and damage to others' property. Meanwhile, the train driver and the signal flagger were charged with negligence causing death and serious injury. The train driver and the signal flagger gave conflicting statements: the flagger insisted signals were given, while the train driver claimed no signals were given. This is recognized as the defendant's right.
Going forward, the committee will divide responsibilities and will inspect every crossing the train passed to check the train's speed at each crossing, as well as whether the flagger gave clear signals at each crossing. The committee has sent a letter to the Governor of the State Railway of Thailand requesting to reenact the incident to assess the driver's perspective. Experts will be consulted, and data from the black box will be requested. Legal officers from the State Railway will be summoned to clarify which regulations or standards govern train operations and driver licensing, as currently no train driver holds a driving license issued by the Department of Rail Transport.
However, the train driver claimed regular use of methamphetamine and marijuana, several pills at a time, with the last use 10 days before the incident. Police remain skeptical. Records show the suspect was previously prosecuted for drug use in 2019 in Thung Song Police Station, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province.
Authorities plan to coordinate with relevant agencies to enforce laws prohibiting vehicle stops at critical points to prevent repeat accidents.