At least 30 passengers were injured, five seriously, when a Bangkok-Chiang Mai overnight express train derailed in Phrae early yesterday.
Passengers walk away from the derailed Bangkok-Chiang Mai overnight express train in Phrae’s Den Chai district yesterday. The train was carrying about 290 passengers, many of whom were foreign tourists. Thirty passengers were injured, five of them seriously. The five—three foreign nationals and two Thais—were being treated in Phrae. THAWEESAK SUKKHASEM
It was the seventh and most serious derailment along the northern rail route in the past four months, and the second this month.
State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Prapas Chongsanguan said the train jumped the tracks about 3am between Pak Pan and Kaeng Luang stations, between kilometre markers 540 and 541.
Initial reports to the SRT said seven of the train's 10 carriages derailed, Mr Prapas said. At least 30 passengers were injured, five seriously. Most of the injured are foreign tourists.
Mr Prapas said the cause of the accident was probably a fault in the tracks.
The train derailed close to a bend and near to where a section of track was being repaired, he said. Mr Prapas said he believed the derailment might have been caused by poor track conditions or a bend in the tracks, where trains are usually required to reduce speed.
As a result of the derailment, all Bangkok-bound trains were terminating at Lampang station yesterday.