At least 22 people were killed on January 14 after a construction crane collapsed on to a passenger train in north-east Thailand, derailing carriages and triggering a brief fire, in one of the deadliest rail incidents in the country in recent years.

The accident occurred in Sikhio district, Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 km north-east of Bangkok according to local sources. The train was travelling from the capital to Ubon Ratchathani when it struck the fallen crane while passing beneath a construction site linked to a high-speed rail project.

Thai police said the death toll had risen steadily through the day as rescue teams worked through damaged carriages and debris. At least 55 people were reported injured, several of them seriously, and authorities warned that the number of fatalities could increase as recovery operations continued. The fire that followed the derailment was quickly brought under control.

Images released by the State Railway of Thailand showed emergency workers assisting passengers amid twisted metal and overturned carriages. Rail services on the affected line were suspended while engineers assessed damage to the track and surrounding infrastructure.

The incident is likely to intensify scrutiny of rail safety in Thailand, where the government has invested heavily in upgrading ageing networks and developing high-speed links in recent years. While major accidents remain relatively infrequent, the rail system has faced persistent criticism over safety standards, particularly at construction sites and level crossings. Previous derailments and collisions, including incidents involving maintenance failures and signalling problems, have highlighted gaps between ambitious infrastructure plans and on-the-ground safety oversight.

Transport officials said an investigation was under way to determine why the crane collapsed and whether construction protocols were followed.