In Thailand on Thursday, January 15, 2026, a construction crane collapsed at a major highway project in Samut Sakhon province, just outside Bangkok, killing two people and injuring several others when it fell onto the busy Rama II Road. Local police and rescue officials say the massive crane used in building the elevated expressway toppled onto vehicles underneath, crushing them and causing chaos during the morning commute. Officers closed lanes for safety and launched an urgent investigation into the cause of the collapse, with traffic diversions put in place while emergency teams worked at the scene.
The incident occurred at around 9:15 a.m. local time during active construction on the Rama II elevated expressway, a key transport link connecting Bangkok with southern Thailand. Police Colonel Sitthiporn Kasi confirmed that two people were pronounced dead at the scene and at least five others were treated for injuries at nearby hospitals. Officials have not yet released the identities of the victims, and inquiries are ongoing to establish exactly why the crane gave way.
The latest tragedy comes just one day after a separate crane accident in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima, where a crane involved in a high-speed rail project collapsed onto a moving passenger train on Wednesday morning. That earlier accident caused a derailment and fire, killing at least 32 people and injuring dozens more as the train travelled from Bangkok toward Ubon Ratchathani. The back-to-back collapses have focused intense scrutiny on safety practices across Thailand’s booming infrastructure sector and on the contractor, Italian-Thai Development, which is linked to both construction sites.
Transport authorities and government officials have deployed inspectors to both scenes and pledged comprehensive investigations. Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has voiced concern over repeated catastrophic equipment failures and ordered safety audits across major projects, while civil engineers and public commentators have called for urgent improvements in construction oversight and enforcement of strict safety protocols to protect workers and the public alike.
Traffic disruption along the collapsed section of Rama II Road persisted into the afternoon as cleanup crews worked to remove debris and stabilize the site. Authorities urged motorists to seek alternative routes while investigations continue and warned of further closures depending on safety assessments.
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