NAKHON SAWAN: Two adults and a child were killed and another person injured when their stalled truck was hit by a Phichit-Bangkok train at a level crossing in Takhli district on Wednesday morning.
Those killed were identified as Busaraporn Padungjit, 49, Tanadol Padungjit, 11, and Chaweewan Klingboon, 55. The injured person was Narumol Padungjit, 60. All were natives of tambon Don Kha in Tha Tako district.
Police said they were on a merit-making visit to Wat Khao Phu Kha, about one kilometre from the level crossing, which has no barriers or warning lights.
The Bangkok-bound train number 211 hit their silver pickup truck, registered in Bangkok, about 9am.
The locomotive was slighty damaged. The train was halted for about an hour after the collision, waiting for a replacement locomotive. No one on the train was hurt.
Eyewitnesses said the pickup truck had stalled on the railway track. The driver, Busaraporn, tried to reverse off the track, but could not because several other vehicles were in line behind it. Then the train slammed into the truck.
The unidentified train driver told police he repeatedly sounded his horn as he approached the crossing. He did not know why the driver did not drive forward off the track but instead tried to reverse, even though there were other vehicles closely behind him.
Police were investigating the incident.