The Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) convened a meeting with relevant agencies on Friday to formulate short-, medium- and long-term measures to improve safety at railway crossings across Bangkok, following the fatal collision between a train and a public bus that left eight people dead on May 16.
The meeting discussed enhanced safety measures at railway crossings, including the installation of warning devices and automatic barriers, deployment of traffic police to facilitate traffic flow and stricter law enforcement against violators.
The measures are aimed at preventing a repeat of last Saturday's tragedy and reducing future losses of life and property.
Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom, MPB commissioner, chaired the meeting, which was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Transport, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Department of Land Transport, the Department of Rail Transport, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and police stations.
According to the MPB, there are 58 railway crossings within its jurisdiction, spanning 28 police stations. The highest number is found in MPB’s Division 2 with 15 crossings, followed by Division 1 with 14. Divisions 5 and 9 each account for seven crossings, while Division 7 has six, Division 3 has four, Division 4 has three, and Division 8 has two. Division 6 has no railway crossings within its area of responsibility.
On Thursday, police investigators charged three people with negligence causing death and injury, following the train-bus collision at the Asok-Phetchaburi railway crossing near the Makkasan Airport Rail Link station in Bangkok.
The train driver, the Route 206 bus driver and the railway crossing gate operator have been charged with negligence causing death, serious injury and bodily harm.
The crash occurred when a freight train collided with a Route 206 public bus, leaving eight people dead and 32 injured. A few of the victims suffered severe burns, making identification difficult and requiring DNA testing by forensic police.
