SRT Files Criminal and Civil Cases Against ITD Over Crane Collapse
Railway Department sues ITD for criminal and civil damages after a construction crane collapse on the high-speed rail project, resulting in fatalities and injuries
Following the fatal crane collapse at the high-speed rail construction site in Si Khiew, Nakhon Ratchasima, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has filed both criminal and civil lawsuits against Italian-Thai Development (ITD), the contractor responsible for the incident. The crane, part of the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project, fell onto a passing train on January 14, 2026, leading to multiple fatalities and injuries.
The government has taken immediate steps in response to the tragedy. Deputy PM and Minister of Transport, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, ordered the formation of a fact-finding committee to investigate the safety standards of the construction work and determine the cause of the incident. The committee is tasked with reporting its findings within 15 days.
In addition to the investigation, the SRT and ITD will provide compensation to the victims. The families of those who died will receive 1.34 million THB per person, while those injured will have their medical expenses covered until they recover. Any additional claims for property damage or lost goods can be submitted for further review.
Anan Phonimdang, the acting Governor of SRT, emphasised that ITD and the SRT must ensure all safety regulations are followed strictly in future construction projects. Under construction guidelines, contractors are required to coordinate with station managers and halt all work when a train passes through construction zones to avoid accidents.
Additionally, the SRT has moved the affected train carriages off the tracks and will begin removing the damaged launcher. Repairs to the rail tracks are expected to take approximately seven days. SRT also plans to implement additional safety measures across all ongoing construction projects, including installing sensors and CCTV surveillance to ensure better monitoring.
On the legal front, the SRT has filed a criminal case concerning the fatalities and a civil case for damages caused by the incident. The lawsuits will seek accountability for the harm caused to public property, the company’s reputation, and the victims. Further legal actions will be determined based on the results of the ongoing investigation.
