The cabinet on Tuesday approved 470 million baht for installation and improvement of safety and warning devices at more than 2,500 railroad level crossings.
There are currently 2,517 grade crossings in the country's 4,000-kilometre rail network, but nearly a quarter of them are makeshift junctions built by local residents. Lacking signals and barriers, they are the most-common sites of accidents and collisions between trains, vehicles and people.
The other 1,933 crossings were built by the State Railway of Thailand, but many of poorly maintained safety measures or lack them entirely.
The Transport Ministry will prioritise installation of barriers, warning-light systems and speed bumps at unofficial grade crossings, with completion anticipated by the end of September.
More than a dozen people have been killed and several others injured in rail crossing and trespassing accidents since late last year.
Five people alone were killed New Year's week in three separate accidents at the same unguarded railway crossing in Muang district of Udon Thani province.