8 killed, 4 injured after freight train crashes into truck in Thailand

At least eight people were killed on Friday after a freight train collided with a pick-up truck that was trying to cross the tracks in central Thailand, according to the kingdom's railway agency.

According to a statement from the State Railway of Thailand, the accident occurred on Thursday at about 2:20am (1920 GMT) at an unapproved crossing in the eastern province of Chachoengsao.

The statement claimed that the train driver honked his horn as he approached the crossing but was unable to stop in time to avoid striking the truck carrying fish.

"The train driver followed the protocol by sounding the alarm three times, but the close proximity made it difficult for the driver to stop the train in time," the statement added.

Eight people — five men and three women — died in the collision. Four more were injured, one of whom is in hospital in critical condition.

A 20-year-old survivor who leapt out of the pick-up just before the crash explained that they thought the vehicle could make it over the crossing, but then saw the train only a few metres away.

Deadly accidents are common in Thailand, which regularly tops lists of the world´s most lethal roads, with speeding, drunk driving and weak law enforcement all contributing factors.

In October 2020, 18 people were killed when a freight train crashed into a bus taking passengers to a religious ceremony.

Last week, Thailand also saw a strong explosion that destroyed an illegal fireworks warehouse in the south of the country, killing at least 10, according to the local governor.

The explosion that occurred in the hamlet of Sungai Kolok on Saturday afternoon is thought to have been caused by welding done when the structure was being constructed.

Rescue crews had to dig through the wreckage after the explosion, which left more than 100 people hurt and hundreds of homes significantly damaged, with just bent metal beams remaining standing.

Provincial commander Police Major General Chalermporn Khamkhiew said firecrackers had been delivered shortly before the explosion.

"We are investigating if those firecrackers were transported legally or illegally," he said.

"As of now, we do not see any licence for possession of firecrackers or firecracker sales," he said.

"We assume the factory has no licence."