PHITSANULOK — A 35-year-old man was killed and his wife critically injured when a freight train collided with their pickup truck at an unbarricaded railway crossing in Phrom Phiram district early Wednesday. The impact hurled the vehicle into a roadside canal, destroying it and prompting urgent rescue efforts.

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The accident occurred at 4:45 a.m. in Ban Nong Tom village, Wong Khong subdistrict. Police and rescue teams from the Prasat Boonsathan Foundation arrived to find a grey Isuzu D-Max submerged in the canal. The train, en route to Chiang Mai, had struck the pickup directly, dragging it several meters before it plunged into the water.

The male driver was found unconscious without a pulse and pronounced dead at Phrom Phiram Hospital despite resuscitation attempts. His wife suffered a torn left arm and severe chest injuries and was transferred to Phutthachinnarat Hospital for specialized care. Both victims were from Chaiyaphum province.

Preliminary investigations revealed the crossing lacked barriers or warning signals, leaving drivers vulnerable to oncoming trains. Police suspect the pickup attempted to cross the tracks without detecting the approaching train due to poor visibility or environmental factors.

Authorities have launched a full investigation and will review safety protocols at unbarricaded crossings nationwide. The incident underscores longstanding concerns about railway safety in rural areas, where many crossings remain unprotected. The State Railway of Thailand has faced repeated calls to install barriers and improve signage to prevent similar tragedies.

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Witnesses and evidence are being gathered to determine liability and potential negligence. The victims’ families have been notified as the community mourns the loss, renewing demands for urgent infrastructure upgrades.

-Thailand News (TN)