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Korean man, Thai wife killed in accident after crane collapses, hits moving train in Thailand

Published: 15 Jan. 2026, 15:47 Updated: 15 Jan. 2026, 17:42

Rescuers work the wreckage of a passenger train after a construction crane collapsed onto it in Sikhio district, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, on Jan. 14. At least 32 people were killed and 64 others injured when a launching crane lifting a concrete slab fell onto the Special Express No. 21 train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, according to the Ministry of Public Health. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed there were 195 passengers and staff on board the train at the time of the accident. [EPA/YONHAP]

A Korean man and his Thai wife, who recently married, died in a deadly train accident in Thailand caused by a crane collapse at a high-speed rail construction site on Wednesday.

At least 32 people were killed in Sikhio District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand, according to Korean diplomatic authorities on Thursday.

The Korean man, who was in his late 30s, had frequently traveled between Korea and Thailand and had been in a long-term relationship with his wife before entering Thailand recently to register their marriage at the Korean Embassy in Bangkok. The couple were reportedly on their way to Sisaket Province, the wife’s hometown in eastern Thailand, when the accident occurred.

The Korean Embassy informed the victim’s family in Korea of the accident and is providing consular assistance, including support for their travel to Thailand. Embassy officials were also dispatched to the hospital near the accident site, where the victims' bodies are being held, to assist with funeral arrangements.

The accident occurred when a crane collapsed at an elevated high-speed rail construction site, striking a moving train below. Two passenger cars of a train traveling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani Province in the east were demolished.

The impact caused the train cars to derail and catch fire, resulting in the 32 deaths and three people missing as of press time. Another 64 people were injured, with seven reported to be in critical condition.

Local media reported that the crane had been lifting a concrete beam meant for the elevated rail line when it collapsed onto the tracks below.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]