BANGKOK, Thailand – The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) board is meeting today to consider terminating its high-speed rail contract with Italian-Thai Development (ITD) following a fatal crane collapse at a construction site in Nakhon Ratchasima.
The move comes after a crane collapsed onto a passing train in Sikhio district, causing multiple casualties. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said the government is seeking maximum accountability, acting on the Prime Minister’s directive to penalize the contractor for the safety failure.
If approved by the board, the SRT will officially terminate the contract for the Thai-Chinese high-speed rail project and propose that the Comptroller General’s Department blacklists the firm. The department is expected to finalize new contractor performance regulations by the end of January, which will determine the extent of the debarment.
The investigation into the Sikhio incident is ongoing, with authorities having already questioned 140 witnesses. Crane experts and investigators are scheduled to visit the site today to conduct a final simulation of the collapse to conclude the forensic evidence gathering. (TNA)
