Korat Governor Ends Search, Confirms No One Left on Train

Pictures courtesy of Amarin

The governor of Nakhon Ratchasima has announced the end of the search for missing persons following a crane collapse onto a passenger train, confirming that no one remains trapped inside the carriages. The announcement was made at 9.00pm on 14 January 2026, around 12 hours after the incident, allowing authorities to close the rescue operation and prepare to return the site to the relevant agencies.

The immediate impact of the decision was the formal conclusion of rescue efforts and the handover of the area to the State Railway of Thailand and construction contractors. All injured passengers had already been transported to hospital and officials stated they were confident that no further victims remained at the scene.

The incident occurred earlier on 14 January, when a construction crane collapsed onto a train in Si Khio district, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The crash triggered a large-scale emergency response involving district authorities, rescue foundations, medical teams, public health officials, and local agencies.

Rescue teams worked continuously from the time of the crash, conducting systematic searches of the train carriages. According to the head of rescue operations, teams carried out physical searches three times, advanced line-by-line through the carriages in the evening and later deployed sniffer dogs after concerns were raised that 3 passengers were missing and not accounted for and might still be trapped, but no victims were found.

In his briefing, Governor Anupong Suksomnit said all agencies had worked together since the morning to ensure public safety and provide medical care to the injured. He stated that rescue leaders reported by 9.30am that evacuation and medical transfers were complete and by the evening they were confident no bodies remained inside the train.

The governor thanked all participating organisations, including rescue units and medical services, for their dedication. He said the mission was carried out with the intention of easing the suffering of those affected as much as possible.

Following the closure of the provincial disaster prevention and mitigation centre, responsibility for ongoing duties will transfer to the Si Khio district disaster prevention command. Police at Si Khio station have been instructed to maintain security and seal off the area, in line with guidance from the prime minister, to prevent public access for safety reasons.

Amarin reported that local municipal authorities in Si Khio will continue work as the landowners, while railway officials and contractors will proceed with recovery and restoration efforts. The railway is expected to be returned to normal operation as quickly as possible once safety assessments and repairs are completed.

Key Takeaways

• The Korat governor confirmed at 9.00pm on 14 January 2026 that no one remained trapped in the train.

• Rescue teams conducted multiple physical searches and used sniffer dogs without finding additional victims.

• Control of the site is being handed back to district authorities, police, and railway agencies for recovery work.

Original Story

Multiple-deaths-after-crane-collapses-onto-passenger-train

Adapted by ASEAN Now from Amarin 2026-01-15