Missing Rail Bolts Caused Freight Train Derailment
Missing bolts on railway guard rails caused Freight Train No. 845 to derail near Chonburi station on September 4, with six cargo cars blocking both directions before the line reopened hours later. Thai Railways is investigating potential ta
Thai Railways reported on September 5 that Freight Train No. 845 derailed near Chonburi station in Chonburi Province. After engineering and mechanical teams deployed heavy machinery to recover the cargo cars and repair the track, the Chonburi–Bang Phra line reopened at 1:25 a.m. Freight Train No. 554 subsequently departed from Sri Racha station at 1:30 a.m. and passed through the incident site without issue.
The derailment occurred at 1:24 p.m. on September 4 when Freight Train No. 845, bound for Laem Chabang Port from the Lad Krabang Container Depot, passed through a switch near Chonburi station. Six cargo cars derailed, blocking both directions on the eastern route. No injuries or deaths were reported.
Investigators found that seven of eight guard rail bolts at the incident site were missing, a critical abnormality potentially linked to the derailment. Thai Railways is conducting a detailed technical investigation to confirm the root cause. The organization emphasizes that tampering with railway infrastructure poses serious safety risks to trains, passengers, and the public. Officials have filed a police complaint and are investigating to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Thai Railways apologizes to affected passengers and the public, and asks the community to report any suspicious activity or unauthorized actions near railway tracks to authorities immediately.
