Crane collapse derails train in Thailand, killing 22: police

Bangkok: A crane at a China-backed high-speed rail line in Thailand collapsed onto a passenger train on Wednesday, causing it to derail and killing at least 22 people, local authorities said.

"Twenty-two people were killed and more than 30 were injured," a local police chief in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thatchapon Chinnawong, told AFP.

The incident occurred on Wednesday at around 9:00 am (0200 GMT) when a crane being used to build the high-speed rail network fell onto a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima, northeast of the capital Bangkok. 

"A crane collapsed onto a train causing it to derail and catch fire," the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial public relations department said in a statement.

Live footage aired by local media showed rescue workers rushing to the scene, with a brightly coloured train derailed on its side as smoke billowed from the debris. 

The Nakhon Ratchasima provincial department said the train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani province.

Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said 195 people were on board the train and authorities were rushing to identify the deceased.

The crane was being used in the construction of a $5.4-billion project to build a high-speed rail network in Thailand, backed by Beijing, which aims to connect Bangkok to Kunming in China via Laos by 2028 as part of China's vast "Belt and Road" infrastructure initiative.

Industrial and construction site accidents have long been common in Thailand, where lax enforcement of safety regulations often leads to deadly incidents.