SRT to pay 300k-baht compensation to families of Asoke rail crash victims

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has pledged to pay 300,000 baht in compensation to the families of each victim killed in the recent fatal collision between a train and a Route 206 Bangkok bus at the Asoke intersection.

Meanwhile, police are carefully analysing CCTV footage and scrutinising the actions of everyone involved on the day of the incident to determine criminal liability.

Pol Maj Gen Worasak Pisitbannakorn, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, disclosed updates on the investigation yesterday, stating that investigators continue to compile evidence and are expanding the inquiry.

They have summoned an additional 14 individuals, alongside two SRT officials, for meticulous questioning about the operational protocols of all parties, ranging from the bus driver and the train driver to the signal control officers, to verify whether they fulfilled their duties.

Regarding traffic coordination on the day of the accident, Pol Maj Gen Worasak noted that while coordination to facilitate traffic flow at the intersection is standard practice, initial findings have revealed that no prior notification or coordination request was sent by the railway authorities on that day.

Investigators will cross-reference testimonies with CCTV footage, to identify any motorists or pedestrians who violated traffic signals. They will proceed with legal action carefully and fairly, ranging from Traffic Act violations to negligence charges, based on the evidence.

Addressing the drug test results of two SRT train drivers who tested positive for illicit substances during a mass screening this week, the commander explained that the Rail Transport Act does not contain a specific criminal provision for driving under the influence of narcotics. Instead, such infractions typically incur administrative penalties enforced by the regulatory body.

Consequently, police must pursue separate criminal charges against the individuals for drug use based on the specific substances found. The legal team is currently reviewing the statutory framework regarding the detection of cannabis to ensure the correct charges are filed.

Udom Maophet, the SRT's chief civil engineer, formally expressed condolences and offered an apology to the families of the victims. He confirmed that SRT executives had visited the site to provide initial assistance, adding that the state agency will pay 300,000 baht per fatality and cover all medical expenses for the injured.

Udom explained that the compensation is to be drawn directly from the SRT's official budget, dismissing online rumours that the funds were being sourced from the state railway union's fund.

Furthermore, the SRT addressed public suspicion regarding an allegation that the train driver did not sign for his allowance on the day of the crash, but that a mechanic had signed on his behalf.

Udom stated that a fact-finding committee has been established to investigate the matter.

The chief engineer also dismissed reports that the SRT had filed police complaints against motorists whose vehicles straddled the tracks on the day of the crash.

He explained that no such complaint has yet been files for this specific accident; rather, the SRT had previously filed a separate complaint regarding food delivery riders trespassing on the tracks near Makkasan in an unrelated incident.

Nonetheless, Pichet Kunadhamraks, director general of the Department of Rail Transport (DRT), is expected to dispatch the department’s legal representatives to Makkasan Police Station today to file a formal complaint against motorists who parked or straddled the tracks during the period of the accident.

The move aims to prompt police to prosecute both motorcyclists and car drivers for obstructing railway traffic, which prevented the train from passing normally. The charges will be filed under the Rail Transport Act and relevant criminal laws.

An SRT survey has confirmed that there are 71 level crossings across Bangkok, which are categorised into three safety zones based on risk assessment.

These include 19 high-risk Red zones, such as Yommarat, Phaya Thai, Ratchaprarop and Asoke-Din Daeng intersections.

There are also 25 medium-risk Yellow zones, including Rama VI, Pradipat and Lak Si Temple, alongside 27 low-risk Green zones, such as North Park, Kamphaeng Phet 7 and Rom Klao.