A string of uncoupled, loaded railway flatcars rammed into a motorcycle at a railway crossing in Bangkok's Bang Sue district, killing the woman rider and also damaging a car on Tuesday morning.
The accident occurred around 6.30am at a crossing on Pracha Chuen Road, near Bang Son train station, according to Pol Maj Chalit Chantaphan, traffic inspector at Tao Poon police station.
Police sent to the accident scene reported finding 10 loaded flatcars stopped on the line with the wreckage of a motorcycle jammed under the wheels of the first wagon, and the body of an unknown woman.
A Honda Jazz sedan was also hit by the wagons at the crossing. The driver, Napaphat Wongsaengkaew, was unhurt.
She told the police that railway staff had already lifted the barrier after a train passed and two cars had crossed the tracks ahead of her as she approached the crossing. Suddenly, a string of uncoupled flatcars loaded with rail sleepers ploughed into her car.
Ms Napaphat did not notice that the runaway wagons also hit a motorcycle and killed the rider.
Suthon Nanthapol, the gate keeper at the crossing, told police the locomotive had already passed through the crossing and he thought it was finished and he lifted the barrier.
He did not know the uncoupled flatcars were also coming down the track about 50 metres behind the train and they hit the car and the motorcycle, which they dragged about 100m along the track.
State Railway of Thailand governor Wuthichart Kalayanamitr, in a radio interview, extended his sympathy to the family of the deceased woman and said the SRT woud pay compensation.
An investigation would be launched into the cause of the accident, he said.
The uncoupled flatcars loaded with rail sleepers at the accident scene, with the victim's crushed motorcycle under the wagon wheels.(Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)