Thailand: crane collapses onto moving train, killing over 30 people

Bangkok (Thailand), 14 January (LaPresse/AP) – The death toll from an accident in north-eastern Thailand, where a crane fell on a moving train, has risen to at least 32, with 64 injured. The Provincial Public Health Office reported that seven people suffered serious injuries. Three of the 171 passengers believed to have been on board the train are still missing. The accident occurred in Nakhon Ratchasima, about 200 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, on a section of a high-speed rail project that is expected to connect China with much of Southeast Asia. According to local authorities, the crane was being used to construct an elevated section of the railway. The train that was hit was travelling from the capital Bangkok to the province of Ubon Ratchathani. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn announced that he had ordered an investigation.