Railway gateman charged after freight train crashes into bus, killing and injuring numerous passengers
A railway gateman has been charged with negligence after failing to properly warn of an approaching freight train that collided with a bus at a Bangkok crossing, killing and injuring multiple passengers on May 17.
Following the collision between a freight train and an air-conditioned bus line 206 at the Makkasan railway crossing on Asoke-Din Daeng Road that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries, police have charged the train driver. On May 17, investigators reviewing CCTV footage discovered that a railway official waved a red warning flag for only a moment before stopping and taking no further action, despite the train colliding with the bus approximately two minutes later. Injured bus passengers reported receiving no verbal warnings before the crash occurred. Police announced an investigation meeting scheduled for May 18 at 10 a.m. at Makkasan Police Station. At 5:30 p.m. the same day, police took into custody Mr. Uthen (surname withheld), a railway operations employee responsible for operating the railway gates, and charged him with negligence causing death, serious injury, and injury to others. During questioning that lasted nearly two hours, he provided no statement to the media. Drug testing found no narcotics in his system, while the train driver tested positive for drug use.
