Anutin urges not to politicize crane collapse incident - calls on SRT to punish project contractor

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On January 14, 2026, reporters said that immediately after Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul was informed of a crane collapse involving a high-speed rail bridge that fell onto a passenger carriage of Special Express Train No. 21 on the Bangkok - Ubon Ratchathani route, in the Ban Thanon Khot area of Sikhio, Nakhon Ratchasima, he immediately canceled his afternoon campaign activities in Phang Nga Province. He then traveled to Phuket Province to board a flight back to Bangkok. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn returned to Bangkok at the same time. Upon arrival in the capital, Mr. Phiphat proceeded directly to the scene of the accident.

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At 1:00 PM., Mr. Anutin told the media that he had already received a report on the incident and had personally ordered Mr. Phiphat and Mr. Anan Phonimdaeng, Acting Governor of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), to inspect the site. The Ministry of Public Health has transported the injured to hospitals for medical treatment. Mr. Anutin also expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.

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Regarding the cause of the accident, Mr. Anutin said he had not yet received a detailed report and urged the public to wait for the results of the investigation into why the timing coincided so precisely. He noted that he would thoroughly question those involved, given his background in the field. He also stressed that the incident should not be politicized, calling instead for a focus on assisting the injured and preventing further loss of life.

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Mr. Anutin said, “From what we can see, this project has faced multiple incidents. Last year, there was a tunnel collapse during construction, and this time a crane has fallen again. We need to examine why there were construction practices that did not follow proper procedures. Accidents like these only occur when there is negligence, when steps are skipped, or when work is carried out in ways that do not comply with the design.”

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Photo: Facebook (ประชาสัมพันธ์จังหวัดนครราชสีมา)

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Mr. Anutin said that regarding whether construction would continue, under normal circumstances when an accident occurs, the contractor must immediately suspend work and submit a report along with a compensation plan. Although contractors are already subject to contractual penalties, work suspension itself constitutes additional losses. The state, meanwhile, suffers losses in terms of time but does not incur additional budgetary costs.

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He added that authorities must urgently determine the cause of the incident, instructing the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and relevant agencies to conduct a thorough investigation. If wrongdoing is found, all responsible parties must be held accountable, and those who failed to properly supervise the project must face punishment. On sanctions against operators, Mr. Anutin said the issue must be considered at the legal level, including the blacklisting of contractors, which has previously faced legal obstacles. He also questioned why contractors with prior problems were still able to secure new projects, saying the Comptroller General’s Department must provide clear explanations.

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Mr. Anutin stressed that the incident was an engineering issue, not a natural one. A crane collapse can be examined, whether due to equipment failure or construction that did not comply with design specifications. If deficiencies are found, both the public and private sectors must carefully review contractor selection, with the SRT also bearing responsibility.

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Photo: Facebook (ประชาสัมพันธ์จังหวัดนครราชสีมา)

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Regarding other projects that may pose risks, he said accountability does not rest solely with contractors but also with project owners and supervisors. He added that the situation would inevitably force inspections, assigning the Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister to take charge, as the incident resulted in 22 fatalities.

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Mr. Anutin also said he supports the idea of a “contractor report card,” previously proposed by former Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit, but acknowledged it has yet to be implemented due to agencies’ concerns over potential lawsuits. He warned that if laws are not amended and similar incidents recur, stricter measures under a principle of “withholding names while assessing behavior” may need to be seriously applied.

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In closing, Mr. Anutin said he could not prevent political actors from using the incident to attack one another, but urged that the tragedy not be politicized, stressing that it is a technical and public safety issue and should not be exploited for political gain amid such loss of life.

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Source of material: official media /online news