NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND – Thailand’s State Railway filed criminal and civil lawsuits against construction firm Italian-Thai Development after a deadly crane collapse on a high-speed rail line.
State Railway launches dual legal action
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) submitted both a criminal complaint over the deaths and a civil claim for damages against Italian-Thai Development (ITD). The move followed the 14 January catastrophe, when a crane fell onto a passing train, causing fatalities and injuries.
“We will demand accountability for the damage to state assets, the company’s reputation and for the victims.”
said SRT sources.
Government orders independent investigation
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn ordered an independent committee to investigate the incident and review safety standards at the construction site. The panel was given 15 days to fully clarify the events and determine the exact cause of the collapse.
Authorities stated that the crane should never have been in operation while a train was passing. Safety regulations were described as having been grossly violated.
Compensation for families and injured passengers
The families of those killed were to receive 1.34 million baht (about €33,500) per person in compensation. Injured passengers were granted full coverage of their medical treatment costs.
Additional claims for property damage or lost luggage could be filed separately. The compensation package was to be financed jointly by SRT and ITD.
Repairs and new safety measures on rail projects
The affected train had already been removed from the tracks, and work began to recover the collapsed crane. Repairs to the damaged rail section were expected to take seven days, with train services in the area remaining heavily disrupted.
SRT announced plans to introduce extra safety measures such as sensors and CCTV monitoring at construction sites on all projects nationwide. The operator said the new systems aimed to strengthen oversight and prevent similar accidents.
Signal to the wider construction industry
Officials described the lawsuits as more than a response to a single incident, calling them a clear signal to construction firms across the country. They stressed that safety rules were not a burden but a life‑saving obligation that would now be enforced with the full force of the law.
The Thai justice system was under pressure to show that even powerful corporations were not above the law, with observers viewing the case as a potentially far‑reaching precedent.