Thailand: Bangkok rail crossing collision kills at least 8

A collision between a freight train and a bus on Saturday killed at least eight people and injured 32 others in the Thai capital, Bangkok, officials said.

Preliminary reports showed ​the public bus had been stopped on the railway tracks at a ​red ‌light before the crash, preventing crossing barriers from closing, Deputy Transport Minister Siripong Angkasakulkiat told reporters.

The heavy freight train was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding ‌with the bus, he added.

"All eight dead were on the bus," Siripong said, adding that it was still unclear how many people were on board. 

What else do we know about the train-bus collision in downtown Bangkok?

The accident occurred near the Airport Rail Link's Makkasan Station in Bangkok's Ratchathewi district on Saturday afternoon.

Videos shared on social media show the train smashing into the orange bus, which was set on fire within minutes, as it dragged ​several other nearby cars and motorcycles along the tracks.

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

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

Deadly road accidents common in Thailand

Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has ordered an investigation into the incident, according to a statement from his office.

Thailand's roads regularly top lists of the world's deadliest, with speeding, drunk driving and weak law enforcement of safety standards all contributing factors.

In January, a construction crane fell on a passenger train in Thailand's northeast, killing 32 people and injuring dozens.

Edited by: Rana Taha