Bangkok train driver tests positive for drugs after fatal bus collision
Quick Look
- A freight train driver in Bangkok tested positive for drugs and faces charges after a collision with a bus killed eight people.
- The bus was stuck on tracks at a busy crossing.
- Authorities are implementing mandatory drug tests for rail staff.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A freight train collided with a public bus at a busy railway crossing in Bangkok, resulting in a fire that killed eight people and injured dozens. The train driver has tested positive for drugs and faces charges, as do the bus driver and barrier guard. Authorities are implementing new safety measures.
The driver of a freight train involved in a fatal collision with a public bus in Bangkok has tested positive for drugs and been charged with reckless driving, authorities say.
The collision, which happened at the Asoke-Din Daeng railway crossing on Saturday afternoon, saw the train crash into a public bus that had come to a stop on the railway tracks.
The bus burst into flames, killing eight people and injuring dozens. Initial reports suggest the bus had become stuck on the tracks due to heavy traffic, which prevented the crossing barriers from lowering properly.
The Asoke-Din Daeng railway crossing is notoriously hectic, and leads to one of the busiest intersections in Bangkok.
Both the bus driver and the guard responsible for lowering the barrier - which is done manually - have also been charged, police said.
Authorities have ordered mandatory drug and alcohol tests for all train drivers and railway staff before their shifts, said Pichet Kunadhamraks, director-general of Thailand's rail transport department.
Police did not specify what drugs had been found in the urine test of the train driver.
Pichet said preliminary findings from the train's black box showed its emergency braking system was only activated about 100m (330ft) away from the bus, which was not enough to avoid collision, Thai PBS reported.
Dr Amorn Phimarnmas, president of the Structural Engineers Association of Thailand, tells the BBC he estimates more than 100,000 road vehicles pass through the Asoke-Din Daeng railway crossing every day - above the safety threshold for such crossings.
At the crossing, motorcyclists are often known to weave through safety barriers to beat traffic and avoid getting slowed down by passing trains.
The tracks were built long before the surrounding roads, and the city has grown around them, giving way to "risk normalisation", Amorn says.
"It's when risk becomes routine. People think 'it'll be fine' and carry on, until one day we end up with exactly the kind of disaster we've just seen."
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Further investigations into the incident and potential prosecution of those charged.
Very likely · Within weeks
Implementation of new safety protocols and increased drug testing for railway staff.
Very likely · Within months
Discussion and potential redesign of the Asoke-Din Daeng railway crossing to improve safety.
Possible · Within months
Open Questions
- What specific drugs were found in the train driver's urine test?
- Were there any mechanical failures with the bus that contributed to it getting stuck?
- What is the exact timeline of events leading up to the collision?
- What are the specific penalties for the charged individuals?
