Police on Monday filed charges of recklessness causing death, severe injury and physical danger against two state railway workers and a passenger bus driver over the deadly level crossing collision in Bangkok on Saturday.
Pol Maj Gen Worasak Pisitbannakorn, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1, said the charge was laid against the drivers of both the freight train and the bus involved in the collision, and the level crossing supervisor.
Sayomporn Suankul, the 46-year-old driver of the Laem Chabang-Bang Sue freight train, failed to stop even though a level crossing official raised a red flag, signalling that vehicles were blocking the crossing on Asok-Din Daeng Road in Huai Khwang district.
The train driver also tested positive for drug abuse and faces an additional charge. A urine test showed he had used methamphetamine and cannabis.
Pol Maj Gen Worasak said Mr Sayomporn had previously been prosecuted for drug abuse in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat in 2019.
The level crossing supervisor, Uthen Sornkheeree, 46, was seen in CCTV footage briefly showing his red flag before calmly folding it and turning his back to the oncoming train, long before it reached him. He had also failed to deploy the level crossing barriers, allowing traffic to stop on the track crossing the congested road.
Police took Mr Sayomporn and Mr Uthen to the Criminal Court on Monday and applied to detain them for a further 12 days. Mr Uthen briefly expressed his regret over the events to reporters. The train driver remained tight-lipped. He was among the 30 people reported injured in the tragedy. He suffered from smoke inhalation because the bus caught fire when his train hit it.
Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat said Mr Sayomporn had only an old train operator's licence issued by the State Railway of Thailand. He had not applied for a new licence from the Department of Rail Transport, as required by changes to the law.
Mr Sayomporn and Mr Uthen have been suspended from duty. They have both denied the charges, police said.
The 56-year-old bus driver, Lapit Thongboon, was severely burnt and remains in hospital. Four other injured victims remain in intensive care units. Eight people were killed.
In addition to the burnt-out bus, the freight train, four cars and 15 motorcycles were also damaged.
