NAKHON RATCHASIMA, THAILAND – Thailand’s transport ministry moved to end a major high‑speed rail contract with Italian‑Thai Development after a crane base collapsed onto an express train, killing 30 people.
Investigation blames work over live tracks
The results of the fact‑finding probe into the Sikhiu disaster were presented on 23 January 2026, seven days after the deadline set by the prime minister, at a press conference led by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn. Senior officials from the Transport Ministry, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Department of Highways attended, with the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary chairing the inquiry committee.
According to investigators, the object that hit the train was part of the front support base of the crane, which lost balance while the crane was being repositioned and fell just as a passenger service passed beneath the construction site. On 14 January, 30 people were killed and 66 injured when the crane component crashed onto carriages of an express train in Sikhiu district, on a section forming part of phase one of the Thai–China high‑speed line being built with China Railway Group (CREC).
Ministry sees serious contract breach
The report found that work was carried out above the active rail line while train operations continued, despite a clear contractual ban on working over tracks unless services were halted. The contract also required prior radio notification to stations so trains could be stopped or delayed until the site was secured, but investigators found no radio logs or other evidence of any such warning on the day of the accident.
“We know where the error lay.”
said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, deputy premier and transport minister.
He said the failure to notify constituted a central and serious breach of contract and placed direct responsibility on Italian‑Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD).
SRT board to decide on rail contract termination
The Transport Ministry said it would recommend termination of the major contract, with the final decision resting with the SRT board as the state enterprise holding formal authority over the agreement. The proposal was scheduled to be placed on the board’s agenda for 29 January, after review by the SRT’s legal sub‑committee.
Acting SRT governor Anan Pothinimdaeng confirmed that the incident exposed glaring failures in the safety measures mandated by the contract, noting that contractors were generally required to inform stations by radio at least one day, and in some cases up to seven days, in advance. A review of communication records found no such message, and
“The train entered the construction area without warning, that led directly to the accident,”
said Anan, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand.
He added that the damaged section near Sikhiu had since been repaired and train services had resumed.
Second crane accident shuts Rama‑2 Road lanes
In parallel, the committee examined a second crane accident on Rama‑2 Road during construction of the Bang Khun Thian–Ban Phaeo intercity motorway, where a crane fell onto a vehicle and damaged parts of a bridge structure. Investigations there were still under way, with initial findings indicating that the collapse occurred after working hours.
Piyapong Chiwatnakulpaishal, director‑general of the Department of Highways, said his agency, the Transport Ministry and the Engineering Institute of Thailand had inspected the scene. Authorities decided to close the main traffic lanes of Rama‑2 Road in the construction zone completely for 60 days, demolish damaged bridge components, remove other hazardous structures affected by the incident, and divert traffic onto parallel lanes.
Stability risks and tight 60‑day deadline
Construction at high‑risk locations over the Tha Chin River, where extensive scaffolding and supports were in use, was to be accelerated. An initial stability assessment by the Engineering Institute indicated that ongoing instability posed a collapse risk, leading authorities to require that work in these areas be completed within 60 days.
Work suspensions on the motorway project were imposed both for safety reasons and as a sanction, with the remaining construction period for the contractor shortened and any additional payment ruled out. The planned opening of the route, originally scheduled for April, was postponed, and if work was not finished by May 2026, contract penalties of 0.25% of the contract value per day would apply, equivalent to about 4.7 million baht daily on a 1.8‑billion‑baht project.
Highways body weighs penalties and termination
The Department of Highways said it was also preparing for a possible termination of the motorway contract, with a three‑party commission from the department, the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of the Comptroller General examining the legal basis and rights to cancel. If the contractor were allowed to continue, strict conditions outlined by Piyapong would apply, including full site protection, technical checks of all machinery with added warning sensors, deployment of a new and reliable engineering and work team, constant oversight by the Engineering Institute of Thailand and public reporting on construction progress.
Tighter sanctions for unsafe contractors
Chayatham Phromsorn, secretary‑general at the Transport Ministry, pointed to broader sanction tools against construction firms, including rating changes, point deductions, downgrades and blacklisting formally administered by the Finance Ministry through the Comptroller General’s Department. While rules already existed, he said implementation details were still being developed, even as the ministry had pursued stricter safety requirements, documentation and control systems for more than three years.
He noted that the power to downgrade contractors was tied to key criteria and that a separate commission would now speed up implementation. Contracts under agencies overseen by the Transport Ministry already contained additional penalty clauses for projects where serious accidents with fatalities occurred.
Italian‑Thai accepts findings, pledges cooperation
Italian‑Thai Development Public Company Limited responded through Senior Executive Vice President Sumet Surabotsopon, saying the company accepted the investigation results and was ready to face any examination.
“We immediately paid initial assistance to the injured and bereaved families,”
said Sumet, senior executive vice president of Italian‑Thai Development.
He added that compensation of more than one million baht per person had been prepared, in addition to insurance payments and contributions from the SRT.
Company defends safety record and finances
According to Sumet, equipment and machinery met technical standards and load capacities were checked regularly, including cranes rented from third parties that were inspected by consultants and site managers. He said the incidents might stem from shortcomings in procedures rather than general deficiencies across all ITD projects.
Sumet rejected reports that the company planned to sue the government, stating,
“These claims are false.”
said Sumet Surabotsopon, senior executive vice president of Italian‑Thai Development.
He stressed that the group’s liquidity was normal and that financial issues had not affected safety or material quality, adding that a central safety commission monitored all construction sites.
Internal sanctions and ongoing probes
Sumet said a special internal unit was working on sanctions for negligence and that the company was asking for a chance to improve its procedures. The Transport Ministry underlined that investigations into both crane accidents were continuing and that further legal and administrative steps would depend on the final conclusions.