Northeastern Thailand was the scene of an exceptionally serious train disaster on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, when a train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province derailed in the Sikhio district, killing 22 people and injuring 80, according to a toll confirmed by local authorities.
The tragedy, which occurred approximately 230 kilometers from the capital in Nakhon Ratchasima province, was triggered by the sudden collapse of a massive construction crane working on the future high-speed rail line project, which struck one of the train cars head-on. movement.
This extremely violent impact not only caused the train to derail, but also triggered an immediate fire, quickly brought under control by firefighters. Images attest to the horror of the scene, with the broken structure of the crane lying on imposing concrete pillars above smoldering debris.
Thatchapon Chinnawong, the district police chief, stated that rescue operations are actively continuing to extract victims from the wreckage, as the nation is deeply moved by this tragic technical failure on a major infrastructure project.
This disaster already raises serious questions about the safety protocols surrounding the modernization of the Thai railway network, especially as the sector is currently undergoing a major transformation with the proliferation of construction sites in the immediate vicinity of the tracks in operation.