• A crane collapse on a train in northeastern Thailand killed 32 people.
• A second crane collapse in Samut Sakhon, near Bangkok, killed 2 more, raising the total to 34 fatalities.
• Both incidents involved the same construction company, Italian-Thai Development.

A construction crane collapse in northeastern Thailand on January 14 caused a passenger train to derail, leading to the deaths of 32 individuals and injuries to over 60. This tragic incident occurred in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province while the Special Express Train No. 21 was en route from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province. The crane was part of a high-speed rail project being constructed in conjunction with Chinese partners, and the impact caused fire and derailment of the train, worsening the tragedy, according to Channel News Asia and AA.

The day following this catastrophic event, a second crane collapsed in Samut Sakhon, killing an additional two people. This incident occurred while the crane was being used for the construction of the Rama II Expressway, a project that has been highlighted for its frequency of accidents, prompting the local police to note that five individuals sustained injuries. Footage revealed the moment the crane fell, resulting in a plume of dust and debris over the surrounding vehicles, according to BBC and South China Morning Post.

The same construction firm, Italian-Thai Development, is implicated in both incidents, leading to calls from Thai officials for investigations into safety practices. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn stated that the authorities would examine whether negligence contributed to these fatal accidents, which have highlighted serious concerns regarding construction safety regulations in Thailand, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.