SATTAHIP, THAILAND – A 38-year-old man was hit and killed by a freight train on Monday evening. The man was lying on the tracks near a market in Na Jomtien. His damaged motorcycle was found a few meters away by emergency responders. Police are investigating whether the incident was an accident, suicide, or a crime.
Freight Train Struck Man on Dark Stretch of Tracks
The driver of freight train number 553 noticed a person lying across the rails around 8:45 PM. He immediately sounded the horn and initiated an emergency braking procedure.
The man, located approximately 5 to 10 meters away, did not move. The train, carrying 25 shipping containers, could not stop in time and ran over him.
Police Found ID and Cash on the Deceased
Officers from the Na Jomtien Police Station were alerted around 9:00 PM and rushed to the scene with rescuers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation. The freight train had stopped about 300 meters past the Four Regions Floating Market.
They secured a black shoulder bag containing cash. An identification card found inside indicated the deceased was a resident of Amnat Charoen province.
Red Motorcycle and Suspicious Drink Discovered
Approximately 20 to 30 meters from the tracks, investigators found a red GPX motorcycle with license plates from Amnat Charoen. The vehicle had apparently veered off the road and crashed into tall grass.
Nearby were a black full-face helmet and a full bottle of a kratom-containing beverage. A pair of flip-flops was secured by police directly by the tracks.
Rescue Services Had Searched the Area Hours Earlier
The Pattaya Rescue Center had received a report of a motorcycle accident in the exact same area at 6:20 PM. However, volunteer rescuers found nothing during their initial search.
Authorities assume the red GPX motorcycle belonged to the deceased. They suspect a solo accident occurred before the man ended up on the tracks.
Investigations into Death Circumstances Underway
The train driver was en route from the Map Ta Phut industrial estate in Rayong to Kaeng Khoi in Saraburi. He was reportedly in shock following the incident, and there were no eyewitnesses to the events on the tracks.
The Na Jomtien police have deployed a special investigation team. The exact circumstances and the man’s final movements before the tragedy need to be determined.