PATTAYA, Thailand – A foreign driver narrowly avoided a potentially catastrophic accident after a pickup truck became trapped on a railway crossing in Pattaya while an oil train was approaching, with the train forced to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. The dramatic incident occurred at around 3:30 p.m. on July 7 at the railway crossing in Soi Khao Talo, East Pattaya. A video widely shared on social media showed a lifted bronze Toyota pickup truck stopped on the railway tracks with the crossing barrier stuck on the vehicle’s roof. At the same time, an oil train was seen approaching the crossing.
Witnesses said the train sounded its horn loudly as people nearby feared a major crash was about to happen. The train driver applied emergency braking, with the wheels reportedly dragging before the locomotive stopped just short of the pickup truck. The train narrowly missed the vehicle, only slightly clipping the front bumper area before continuing towards Laem Chabang. The train driver later recorded images of the pickup truck before moving on, while the vehicle reportedly drove away towards Soi Khao Talo.
A witness who recorded the video, identified as “Mr. Cha,” 34, said the warning signals had already activated, instructing vehicles to stop before the train passed. He claimed the foreign driver attempted to cross the tracks despite the barrier coming down, causing the barrier to become caught on the truck’s roof and leaving the vehicle stuck dangerously close to the railway line. Following the incident, police installed additional warning signs at the crossing reminding motorists to stop and wait for trains to pass. No injuries were reported, but the incident sparked widespread criticism online, with many users questioning the driver’s decision to ignore railway safety warnings.
