Train Driver Admits to Regular Methamphetamine and Cannabis Use, Last Used 10 Days Before Crash
A train driver involved in a deadly May 16 crash at Bangkok's Makkasan crossing admitted to regular methamphetamine and cannabis use, with his last use 10 days before the accident that killed 8 people.
Train driver admits to regularly using methamphetamine and cannabis, consuming multiple pills at a time, with his most recent use occurring 10 days before the incident. A background check revealed he had previously faced drug charges in 2562. The accident involved Cargo Train 2126 (Laem Chabang-Bang Sue) crashing into air-conditioned bus Line 206 at the Makkasan railway crossing below the Airport Rail Link station on Asoke-Din Daeng Road, triggering a massive fire that killed 8 people instantly and injured over 30 others on the afternoon of May 16.
At 12:15 p.m. on May 18, 2569, at Makkasan Police Station, Pol. Col. Worsakdi Pisitbannakorn, Deputy Commander of Police Region 1, revealed progress on the rail-bus collision case. An investigation team was established with divided responsibilities, and preliminary charges have been filed against the bus driver for reckless driving causing death, injury, and property damage to others. The train driver and signal man have also been charged with recklessness causing death and injury, though their accounts contradict each other—the signal man claims he gave clear signals while the train driver denies receiving any signal, which the defendant claims is his right.
Pol. Col. Worsakdi stated the investigation team will examine every crossing the train passed through to determine the train's speed and whether signal men provided clear warnings at each point. The team has sent documentation to the State Railway of Thailand requesting permission to recreate the accident and examine driver visibility. They will also consult railway legal officers regarding regulations for authorizing train operators, as currently no licensed train drivers are employed.
"The train driver claims regular methamphetamine and cannabis use, with the last use 10 days before the incident, but police remain skeptical," Pol. Col. Worsakdi said. "Background checks show he was previously prosecuted for drug offenses in 2562 in Thung Song District, Nakhon Si Thammarat." Police are coordinating with multiple agencies to enforce parking restrictions at designated points to prevent similar accidents.
