Bus Hit by Train Near Rama 9 Bursts Into Flames

On 5/16/2026 at 2:00 PM, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

CCTV Shows Bus Trapped Before Bangkok Train Crash

Pictures courtesy of Khaosod

Newly released CCTV footage has revealed the moments before a freight train slammed into a Bangkok bus trapped across railway tracks near Makkasan Airport Rail Link station, killing eight people and injuring at least 25 others.

The collision happened on 16 May 2026 near the railway crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Bangkok. The crash involved an air-conditioned Route 206 bus, a freight train, cars and motorcycles, before a fast-moving fire engulfed the bus.

Video recorded by nearby vehicles showed the bus stationary across the railway line amid severe traffic congestion while the train approached the crossing. Witness footage captured the moment of impact, with two passengers reportedly thrown through the front door-side windows and suffering serious injuries.

The footage showed that railway crossing barriers were not lowered at the time of the collision. Authorities have not yet confirmed why the barriers were not in place and investigators are examining the evidence as part of the inquiry.

Officials said the train struck the bus near its CNG tanks, causing them to rupture and the vehicle erupt into flames in seconds. Firefighters battled the blaze, while explosions were heard from the burning wreckage.

Bangkok Mass Transit Authority director Kittikarn Jomduang Jaruwornpolkul said the bus became stranded on the tracks after stopping at a red traffic light during heavy congestion. He described the crash as an unavoidable situation caused by backed-up traffic preventing the bus from moving clear of the crossing.

Authorities confirmed that eight passengers on the bus were killed, while at least 25 people were injured. Damaged vehicles at the scene also included private cars and motorcycles caught near the crossing during the collision.

The BMTA said compensation procedures were already under way for victims and their families. Passengers who died in the crash were covered by accident insurance, with compensation payments of up to 1.5 million baht per person. The BMTA said it would also contribute an additional 30,000 to 50,000 baht per victim, while medical compensation for injured passengers would be assessed according to treatment costs.

Khaosod reported that Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt visited the scene as investigators from police, railway authorities and transport agencies continued examining the crossing system, traffic conditions and emergency response procedures.

Adapted by ASEAN Now Khaosod16 May 2026

By looking at this video I realize that the number of victims could have been much higher.

SAFETY FIRST signs that in previous years where all over Bangkok are meaningless.

On 5/16/2026 at 6:06 PM, VocalNeal said:

As maybe will the bus driver for stopping on the tracks when his exit was obviously compromised.

Empathy for the train driver who saw it all but was helpless to do anything.

When I watched the video of the crash I didn't see any boom gates or warning lights. Traffic was banked up across the tracks. However, my thoughts are this. The train driver would have seen the traffic banked up across the railway so WHY didn't he sound the trains horn and WHY didn't he slow down. The train just maintained it's speed and made no effort to slow down or warn those stuck in traffic across the tracks by repeatedly sounding it's horn. Train driver is equally at fault as those foolishly stopped on the tracks

I've just read in another thread that the train driver FAILED a drug test after the accident. So blame lies equally with the train driver as he didn't apply the emergency brakes until he was 100 meters from the crossing, even though he spotted the traffic congestion far enough away to apply the emergency brakes enough to at least slow the train down from the 35 mph it was travelling. I think the train driver will be spending some time in prison for being under the influence of drugs and quite possibly homicide too.

On 5/16/2026 at 5:15 PM, LennyW said:

Quite clear, you do not enter a yellow box grid if your exit is not clear. Barriers could not be lowered as traffic was in the way.

Then a police presence should be there controlling traffic. As well as automated alarm and barrier closing. It’s not rocket science . It’s a dangerous crossing in the middle of a big city.

On 5/16/2026 at 1:32 PM, Callmeishmael said:

That bus burst into flames immediately after it was struck! Diesel shouldn't do that.... I wonder if if was converted to run on CNG?

Yes, that surprised me as well, that was something else than diesel.

2 minutes ago, oustaristocrats said:

Yes, that surprised me as well, that was something else than diesel.

If posters read the updates, the answer is there.

“Officials said the train struck the bus near its CNG tanks, causing them to rupture and the vehicle erupt into flames in seconds.“

On 5/16/2026 at 7:56 PM, Yagoda said:

this was Japan, the guilty party would commit seppuku

They haven’t got the stomach for it here….

A friend uses the elevated walkway every day and sees the usual blockage of the line. And still, despite what happened on Sunday, it was the same today. Thais will do whatever they want to do, regardless of the possible consequences.

Reported driver had ganga found in his blood..Nation news

Yes these things do happen everywhere! An entire nation is not to be blamed. Apparently somewhere on this planet 2 fighter jets had crashed midair, performing at an airshow!

I wonder due to lack of what...

2 hours ago, Chongalulu said:

They haven’t got the stomach for it here….

Other than in Japan, where else would they have the stomach to it?

It's very easy to insult others, take a couple of seconds to ask your self the same question.

Deadly crossing crash — Train driver tests positive for drugs

Police investigating the deadly train-bus collision at the Asok-Din Daeng railway crossing in Bangkok have revealed that the train driver tested positive for drugs, while a railway crossing barrier operator has been charged with negligence causing death and injury.

Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said national police chief Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet had ordered a full investigation after personally inspecting the scene following the crash.

nationthailand

UPDATE

Train Driver and Signalman Granted Bail

See, they can control the crossing if they want to. Hi-tech Thailand waving a green flag to show the approaching train driver that it is safe to proceed.

8 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

See, they can control the crossing if they want to. Hi-tech Thailand waving a green flag to show the approaching train driver that it is safe to proceed.

Oh dear - they seem to have taken the photograph a little too early. Nobody had managed to paint any fresh lines on the road yet.

One also has to wonder whether anything meaningful has changed at the countless other railway crossings scattered across Bangkok, or whether attention has simply been concentrated on this single location because cameras are currently focused on it.

Does anyone genuinely believe that, two weeks from now, one man standing with a green flag will somehow be capable of controlling a permanently gridlocked junction?

That is precisely the concern - the wash-rinse-repeat issue with every single disaster that occurs. The response once again appears reactive and cosmetic rather than structural. Temporary visibility, symbolic gestures, and short-lived enforcement may create the impression of action immediately after a tragedy, but unless the underlying traffic behaviour, junction design, operational procedures, and enforcement culture are fundamentally addressed, the exact same conditions will inevitably return.

The reality is that no individual crossing guard can control a junction that is already overwhelmed by systemic congestion and a driving culture where every available gap is aggressively contested.

Without broader changes to traffic flow management, railway separation, signal integration, and consistent enforcement, the burden is once again being placed on frontline workers to somehow compensate for failures embedded throughout the wider system.

5 hours ago, Chongalulu said:

They haven’t got the stomach for it here….

Fabulous! Another post of the year. Bravo!5555555555555

7 hours ago, 10baht said:

OMG "pretty poor" ... is water wet? They are among the worst drivers in the world. They have no anticipation or they are really rude and or stupid. How many time do they pull out in front of an other vehicle and don't accelerate or only going a couple hundred meters and stop or turn - all when the vehicle they so rudely went in front of had no one behind it. It happens daily to me.

Statisicly Im sure, inflated by Scooters. Ive seen worse in many ways

11 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

"common sense doesn't exist in Thailand "

Offending and humiliating post ❗

Do you think common sense exists only in your "superior" country??

Oh, it seems many AN member would adress themselves as "superior". Poor wretches 😂

Very sad. The lady on the phone in the video seen in the bus window just before the crash has really affected me badly. One moment she is just talking to someone on the phone and the next moment she is burning alive. This is the stuff of nightmares. 😭 R.I.P. poor lady.

2 hours ago, D Peter said:

Oh, it seems many AN member would adress themselves as "superior". Poor wretches 😂

Of course! So superior, that nothing is upto their standards in Thailand.

It's sickening to read their continuos Thai bashing, while they chose to live in Thailand in preference to their own countries! Has anyone forced them???

6 minutes ago, ravip said:

Of course! So superior, that nothing is upto their standards in Thailand.

It's sickening to read their continuos Thai bashing, while they chose to live in Thailand in preference to their own countries! Has anyone forced them???

It is not “Thai bashing” to acknowledge preventable tragedies that occur with heartbreaking regularity in a country many of us chose to move to, embrace, and love.

Caring enough to speak about these issues is not an attack on Thailand.

Silence and indifference would be far worse.

Should we simply accept the constant loss of life and suffering we witness, or should we raise our voices in forums such as this and encourage honest discussion?

Should we not speak about the needless deaths caused by people riding without helmets or driving without seatbelts?

Should we not be concerned that drowning remains one of the leading causes of death among children, despite being so often preventable?

Should we ignore a road fatality rate that remains tragically and disproportionately high?

Discussing these realities is not disrespectful. It comes from concern, compassion, and a genuine desire to see improvement.

To ignore such issues entirely would not be respect - it would be apathy. It would mean turning a blind eye to the wellbeing of the society in which many of us live, integrate, build relationships, and share our lives.

Perhaps it is you who is the 'Thai-basher' when preferring to ignore and not discussion the issues at hand.

UPDATE

Train Crash Victim IDs Await Final DNA Match

10 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

It is not “Thai bashing” to acknowledge preventable tragedies that occur with heartbreaking regularity in a country many of us chose to move to, embrace, and love.

Caring enough to speak about these issues is not an attack on Thailand.

Silence and indifference would be far worse.

Should we simply accept the constant loss of life and suffering we witness, or should we raise our voices in forums such as this and encourage honest discussion?

Should we not speak about the needless deaths caused by people riding without helmets or driving without seatbelts?

Should we not be concerned that drowning remains one of the leading causes of death among children, despite being so often preventable?

Should we ignore a road fatality rate that remains tragically and disproportionately high?

Discussing these realities is not disrespectful. It comes from concern, compassion, and a genuine desire to see improvement.

To ignore such issues entirely would not be respect - it would be apathy. It would mean turning a blind eye to the wellbeing of the society in which many of us live, integrate, build relationships, and share our lives.

Perhaps it is you who is the 'Thai-basher' when preferring to ignore and not discussion the issues at hand.

Well, I agree with most of the points you have raised above. Constructive criticism is always valuable and beneficial.

The so-called Thai-bashers are those who present what they assume to be constructive criticism while referring to Thais as idiots, fools, or brainless individuals. In fact, some even go so far as to demean their own wives.

These are individuals who appear dissatisfied with their own countries, harbor resentment toward Thailand, and seemingly lack a constructive sense of direction. They are the embittered and frustrated Thai-bashers to whom I was referring to.

Possessing greater wealth than the local population does not make one superior; believing otherwise reflects poor judgement.

Today, we are witnessing a striking example of an individual causing widespread global disruption, while a population of approximately 342 million watches helplessly, enduring the consequences themselves as well.

Perhaps it is you who is the 'Thai-basher' when preferring to ignore and not discussion the issues at hand.

👆that is a typical "I am better than you comment" IMHO

~Just my 2 cents~

UPDATE

Freight Train Broke Bangkok Daytime Ban

22 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

A friend uses the elevated walkway every day and sees the usual blockage of the line. And still, despite what happened on Sunday, it was the same today. Thais will do whatever they want to do, regardless of the possible consequences.

What do you expect !! nothing will change !! lives are cheap in Thailand !!

2 hours ago, MikeandDow said:

What do you expect !! nothing will change !! lives are cheap in Thailand !!

19 hours ago, Dexxter said:

Very sad. The lady on the phone in the video seen in the bus window just before the crash has really affected me badly. One moment she is just talking to someone on the phone and the next moment she is burning alive. This is the stuff of nightmares. 😭 R.I.P. poor lady.

How do you know she was one of the people who died?

9 hours ago, ravip said:

Well, I agree with most of the points you have raised above. Constructive criticism is always valuable and beneficial.

The so-called Thai-bashers are those who present what they assume to be constructive criticism while referring to Thais as idiots, fools, or brainless individuals. In fact, some even go so far as to demean their own wives.

These are individuals who appear dissatisfied with their own countries, harbor resentment toward Thailand, and seemingly lack a constructive sense of direction. They are the embittered and frustrated Thai-bashers to whom I was referring to.

Possessing greater wealth than the local population does not make one superior; believing otherwise reflects poor judgement.

Today, we are witnessing a striking example of an individual causing widespread global disruption, while a population of approximately 342 million watches helplessly, enduring the consequences themselves as well.

Perhaps it is you who is the 'Thai-basher' when preferring to ignore and not discussion the issues at hand.

👆that is a typical "I am better than you comment" IMHO

~Just my 2 cents~

All fair points, especially regarding the completely unhinged “Thai-bashers” who seem incapable of seeing anything positive here. They’re driven by bitterness, and probably belong in a category of their own. In much the same way there are people who are inherently anti-farang and can never say anything positive about foreigners in Thailand, there are also those who direct the same relentless negativity toward Thai people as a whole. Perhaps the simplest description is that they’re bitter and unbalanced - they just don’t recognise it in themselves.

A balanced and healthy outlook means recognising both the positives and negatives of life in Thailand - the culture, the country, and its people. No place is perfect, and mature observations should be able to acknowledge both sides honestly.

I’ve been accused many times of being a “Thai-basher” when criticising the lax approach to policing, enforcement, or public safety, particularly where children are concerned. But I see those as fair and necessary observations, not some obsessive, sweeping narrative of negativity. Plenty of Thai people make exactly the same criticisms themselves. That said, I've also been accused many times of being a "Thai-apologist" - can't win !

6 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

UPDATE

Freight Train Broke Bangkok Daytime Ban

Yet another twist in this systemic failure. Freight trains passing through during daytime hours are hardly a rare sight, so this looks less like an isolated mistake and more like another example of rules existing on paper but enforcement being practically nonexistent.

The same pattern repeats itself time and again. The next time a lorry kills someone on a pedestrian crossing, we’ll likely hear the usual list of excuses - the driver unlicensed, testing positive for drugs, claiming brake failure - and in the end the blame will fall solely on him. Meanwhile, the company that allowed him behind the wheel without checking his licence, testing for drugs or alcohol, or enforcing transport regulations will escape meaningful accountability. Even restrictions on when articulated vehicles can enter Bangkok are routinely ignored.

The deeper problem is that it’s not only enforcement that’s apathetic. The people in positions of responsibility are rarely, if ever, held accountable themselves. When there are no consequences at the top, indifference becomes embedded throughout the entire system.

Years ago, I requested detailed information about the transport arrangements for my son’s school trip (large International School - the initial response from the school was that they 'outsource transport' - they sidestepped the issue so I pressed - I wanted to know about child seats etc and who which teacher was responsible for ensuring all children were 'buckled up' etc. These were very young children (4-5 yrs old), so naturally I wanted to know more about the company being used and what safety policies they had in place.

I was genuinely shocked by one of the policies I read. It stated that drivers would be tested for alcohol and, if found over the limit, they would be “suspended for the day”.

Not fired. Not reported to the police. Not charged with endangering children. Just given the day off.

I remember sitting there completely aghast. This wasn’t some tiny backstreet operator either - it was a major bus company servicing schools throughout Bangkok, beginning with “M” and sounding remarkably like 'on-tree'....

That single sentence told me more about the underlying culture of accountability than any glossy safety brochure ever could.

On 5/18/2026 at 1:49 PM, TigerandDog said:

WHY didn't he sound the trains horn and WHY didn't he slow down.

He was aware and applied the brakes 100m before the crossing.

Prolly needs a tad more distance to slow !!

22 hours ago, Dexxter said:

Very sad. The lady on the phone in the video seen in the bus window just before the crash has really affected me badly. One moment she is just talking to someone on the phone and the next moment she is burning alive. This is the stuff of nightmares. 😭 R.I.P. poor lady.

I dont disagree. If she was killed, we watched it. I only could do it once.

Every accident in the world is based on human error plus a deficiency somewhere. Sometimes you need an accident to fix things. In the US, it took screaming seamstresses plummeting to their deaths while burning alive to begin implementing workplace safety measures. No different here

UPDATE

Train Driver at Control Before Bangkok Crash