A construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province on 14 January 2026, causing a derailment that killed at least 32 people. The train, en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, carried around 195 to 200 passengers when the incident occurred around 09:10 local time. Authorities reported three people missing and 64 to 66 injured, with seven to eight in critical condition, according to Thailand's health ministry and Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Public Health Office via AFP and CNN.

The Thailand crane collapse sparked a fire in the second carriage, which rescuers battled while searching wreckage into the evening. Eyewitness Mitr Intrpanya described hearing a loud noise followed by explosions, then seeing the crane slice the second carriage in half, as told to AFP.

Project Ties and Safety Concerns

The crane belonged to Italian-Thai Development, a major Thai firm building a segment of the China-backed high-speed rail project. This over $5 billion initiative, part of Beijing's Belt and Road, aims to link Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028. Italian-Thai has faced multiple deadly accidents, including a crane collapse in March 2025 that killed five, and others in 2017 and 2015, per AFP.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stressed the need for an investigation. "These kind of incidents happen very regularly," he told reporters in Bangkok on 14 January 2026, according to AFP. Next, authorities will probe the cause, with potential law changes to blacklist repeat offenders.

Company and Officials Respond

Italian-Thai Development expressed condolences and pledged to compensate victims' families and cover medical costs, as stated in their announcement on 14 January 2026 via AFP and CNN. The firm committed to cooperating with authorities.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning conveyed condolences and emphasised Beijing's focus on project safety, per AFP. Thai Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed passenger numbers but provided no further comment in the sources.