Railway crossing guard apologises to victims over deadly crash

Makkasan police today asked the Criminal Court to remand the train driver and a railway crossing guard on charges of causing death and serious injury through negligence after a train crashed into a passenger bus on Saturday, killing eight people and injuring many others.

Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand is considering suspending the train driver from duty after reports emerged that narcotics were found in his system.

Sayomporn, the driver, and Uthen, the crossing guard, were seen being transported to court in a police wagon.

Before the two men were taken into custody, the driver declined to speak to reporters, while Uthen apologised to the families of the victims.

The driver of the passenger bus, who suffered severe injuries and burns, remains in hospital. Blood tests found no narcotics in his system.

Police said no charges have yet been filed against the bus driver because investigators must wait until his condition improves and he is able to give a statement before proceeding with questioning or legal action.

Police had earlier taken both the train driver and the crossing guard to the Police Hospital for physical and drug tests. Test results allegedly showed that Sayomporn had narcotics in his system, while the crossing guard tested negative.

Meanwhile, Anan Phonimdang, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said data from the train’s data recorder, or black box, showed that the train was travelling at an average speed of 34 kilometres per hour and that the emergency brakes were applied about 100 metres before the collision with the bus.

He stressed that if crossing barriers are not fully lowered, train drivers are required to slow down and rely on illuminated and hand signals from the crossing guard instead of the automatic warning system.

He also said it was irregular for the train driver not to be wearing a uniform while on duty, and that matter is also under investigation.