Major Train Wreck Near Hua Hin

[Gaybutton]

The following appears in THE NATION:

_____

 

MAJOR TRAIN ACCIDENT

 

3 Killed, Over 100 Injured in Train Crash

 

Prachuap Khiri Khan - Two trains crashed at the Nong Kae station in Hua Hin district early Sunday, killing three people and injuring more than 100 other passengers.

 

As of press time, eight victims including a seven-year-old girl and a monk remained hospitalised.

 

Screams rang across the accident scene immediately after a Thon Buri-bound train crashed head-on to a Yala-bound train on a diversion track at 2.42 am. Five train compartments were derailed, as passengers woke up to the nightmare scene in the middle of the night.

 

"I was sleeping when I heard an extremely loud bang. When I opened my eyes, things were scattered all around and people were screaming. I tried to look out of the train window but it's so dark outside," Anas Yodkham, a 59-year-old passenger, said.

 

He later managed to get out of his compartment with minor injuries.

 

"It's my luck that I have survived," Anas said, after seeing the battered compartments from outside.

 

Paijit Chuyod, driver of the Yalabound train, was found dead inside his locomotive compartment.

 

Train hostess Wanida Phokhan, an employee of JM Food Industry Co Ltd, died shortly after she was retrieved from the debris.

 

Train technician Theerapon Boonchai was conscious throughout nearly four hours when rescue workers tried to help him out of the battered compartment. However, he too later succumbed to serious injuries. Paijit and Theerapon were employees of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

 

Medical professionals and rescue workers from various units rushed to help the victims at the accident scene.

 

Siva Saengmanee, the chairman of SRT board, said the accident caused between Bt150million and Bt200million in damage.

 

According to him, primary investigation suggested that the Thon Buri-bound diesel railcar ran against the light and thus hit the Yala-bound train that was on the diversion route. A fact-finding committee was now established to carefully look into the case and determine the cause of the accident.

 

By 7.10 am Sunday, SRT removed all debris from the affected railway and train services were now available as usual.

 

Public Health Ministry's spokesman Dr Suphan Srithamma said the train crash injured more than 100 people but most of them received only minor injuries such as bruises.

 

"The hospitalised victims are also out of danger now," he said.

 

Prachuap Khiri Khan Governor Prasong Pitoonkijja said he never saw two trains colliding before.

 

The Nation

[Gaybutton]

Further details now appear in the BANGKOK POST:

_____

 

HUA HIN BAD RAILWAY COMMUNICATIONS

 

Three Dead, 93 Hurt in Head-On Train Crash

 

CHAIWAT SADYAEM

 

Prachuap Khiri Khan _ Poor driver-to-driver communication led to two trains colliding head on, killing three people and injuring 93 others in Hua Hin district yesterday, police said. A north-bound Chumphon-Thon Buri train, with about 100 passengers, went through a red light and ran into the Bangkok-Yala sprinter, carrying more than 300 passengers, near Ban Nong Kae station.

 

The Yala-bound train was waiting for the train from Lang Suan, in Chumphon, to pass so it could continue south. The crash happened at about 2.30am.

 

Three railway employees on the sprinter _ driver Paijit Chuyada, crew member Wanida Popa and mechanic Teerapol Boonchai _ died at the scene of the accident, police said.

 

Ninety-three passengers were admitted to hospitals in Hua Hin.

 

Most were allowed to go home later yesterday, but nine were still receiving medical care last night.

 

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) launched an investigation into the crash. Initial inquiries indicated the Thon Buri-bound train ignored a red light, officials said. The driver of the Bangkok-Yala train reportedly tried in vain to contact the other train to inform the driver of his position and ask him to slow down and wait until his train moved to another track so they could pass.

 

According to initial investigations, the north-bound train gave no response and ploughed head on into the sprinter.

 

Deputy Interior Minister Banyat Chansena, who visited injured passengers in Hua Hin yesterday, said the SRT must find the cause of the accident to avoid a recurrence. An SRT spokesman said damage was estimated at 200 million baht. It will take at least two days to remove the damaged carriages from the area.

 

The railway at Ban Nong Kae village was reopened to traffic later yesterday.

 

Social Security Office secretary-general Surin Jirawisith said compensation would be paid to all injured passengers who are members of the fund. They would receive half their monthly salary while they were being treated and unable to work.