SONGKHLA: A 12-year-old boy playing with his mobile phone on a railway track was killed by a train in front of his school in Hat Yai district, Songkhla, on Thursday evening.
The tragedy occurred near a railway crossing in front of Phatong Witthayakhom School in tambon Phatong of Hat Yai district, police said.
The boy was identified as Wathanyu Disaro, a Prathom Suksa 6 student at Phatong Municipal School. His body was thrown about 40 metres by the impact.
Wanchai Phuchampee, 36, said he had seen the boy playing with his phone while on the rail tracks, and then he heard the train driver sound his horn several times. When he looked up again he realised the boy had been struck by the train.
The boy’s mother collapsed in tears when she heard what had happened and had to be comforted by relatives and neighbours.
Police were questioning the train driver.