Freight train hits bus in Thailand - at least eight dead

At least eight people were killed and 32 others injured in ​Thailand's capital after a freight train hit a bus at ‌a rail crossing, rescue officials and a deputy transport minister said.

Firefighters and rescue crews attended the scene on Saturday as flames engulfed the ​public bus and nearby vehicles close to the Airport Rail Link's ​Makkasan station in Bangkok, officials said, adding the crash also involved cars ⁠and motorcycles.

Preliminary reports showed the bus had been stopped on the tracks ​at a red light, preventing crossing barriers from closing, deputy transport minister Siripong ​Angkasakulkiat told reporters.

The train, which was carrying containers, was unable to stop in time to avoid the crash, he added.

"Eight people were killed and 32 injured, with the ​wounded being treated at various hospitals. All eight dead were on the ​bus," he said.

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Videos posted on social media showed the train colliding with the bus and dragging ‌several ⁠other nearby vehicles along the tracks.

Several motorbikes and their riders were also seen being thrown onto the road after the collision.

"The bus was stuck at a red light, so it couldn't move. Cars were also blocked and unable to move forward," said Wanthong Kokpho, a motorcycle taxi driver who witnessed the crash.

"The ​fire broke out immediately ... ​If this ⁠had been a normal working day, the damage would have been much worse."

Rescue teams worked to pull injured victims from ​the wreckage as fire crews attempted to extinguish the blaze with ​water hoses, ⁠officials said.

The fire was brought under control, and crews were cooling the area, venting gas and continuing to search for victims, they said. Authorities are investigating the ⁠cause ​of the incident.

Thailand's roads are among the world's ​deadliest, according to the World Health Organisation, due to weak enforcement of safety standards.

(c) Sky News 2026: Freight train hits bus in Thailand - at least eight dead