Police have charged three people with negligence causing death and injury as the investigation into the deadly train-bus collision last Saturday in Bangkok picks up pace.
Pol Col Uramporn Khundet-samrit, superintendent of Makkasan police station, said investigators have filed charges against the train driver, the Route 206 bus driver and the railway crossing gate operator.
All three face charges of negligence causing death, serious injury and bodily harm.
The crash occurred on Saturday when a freight train collided with a Route 206 public bus at the Asok-Phetchaburi railway crossing in Bangkok, leaving eight people dead and 32 injured. Some of the victims suffered severe burns, making identification difficult and requiring DNA testing by forensic police.
Toxicology tests conducted on the train driver found traces of amphetamine and cannabis in his body. According to Pol Col Uramporn, investigators are now examining whether the substances affected his ability to perform his duties at the time of the crash.
"The Land Traffic Act does not directly regulate train operations, so investigators must review the regulations and disciplinary rules of the State Railway of Thailand," he said.
"If clear wrongdoing can be established, additional charges will be filed," Pol Col Uramporn said.
Investigators are also examining the actions of motorists who stopped on or near the railway tracks before the collision. Police said drivers of vehicles seen at the crossing during the incident will be summoned for questioning.
Authorities will investigate whether any of these motorists intentionally violated traffic laws or ignored road markings by blocking the railway crossing.
However, police said each case would be considered individually, as some drivers may have been trapped by heavy traffic and unable to move away from the tracks in time.
"At this stage, no additional charges have been filed against those drivers," Pol Col Uramporn said.
The investigation has drawn significant public attention amid concerns over railway crossing safety, traffic management and possible lapses in operational procedures. Authorities said the inquiry would also examine whether warning systems, crossing barriers and emergency response measures functioned properly before the crash.
Police and railway officials are collecting more evidence, reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses as part of the ongoing investigation into the crash, said Pol Col Uramporn.
