In northeastern Thailand, a tragic accident occurred when a railway tunnel collapsed during construction, trapping three foreign workers inside for days. The incident took place in Nakhon Ratchasima province, 250 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. The tunnel collapse happened as the workers, one from Myanmar and two from China, were inside.
After an intense rescue effort, Thai officials confirmed the recovery of all three workers. The victims included a truck driver from Myanmar and two Chinese workers, a supervisor, and a backhoe operator. Autopsies are being conducted to determine the cause of death. Initial findings suggest that the worker found first died of suffocation. The rescue operation lasted 126 hours and involved teams from the State Railway of Thailand and China.
Investigations into the accident are ongoing, with reports indicating that heavy rainfall had made the earth above the tunnel unstable. The project where the incident occurred is part of a Thai-Chinese high-speed railway that aims to connect Bangkok with Nong Khai province on the Laos border. The railway project is a significant endeavor with an investment exceeding 520 billion baht ($15.3 billion) and is planned to be completed in two stages by 2028 and 2029.
