Sikhio: Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has demanded full accountability following a major construction accident in northeast Thailand that left 32 people dead and 66 injured. A massive crane segment from the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project collapsed onto a passenger train in Sikhio district on Wednesday morning. The train, carrying 171 passengers from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, was traveling at 120 km/h when the machinery struck the second and third carriages, sparking a fire.

According to Thai News Agency, Anutin told reporters during a site visit late Wednesday that there must be responsible parties for this tragedy. He ordered the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and contractors to provide maximum compensation to victims beyond standard insurance rates.

The SRT has launched an investigation into the cause of the failure, with results expected within 15 days. Preliminary findings suggest a violation of safety protocols, which strictly prohibit high-altitude work while trains are passing underneath. Investigators also noted a failure in the machinery's automatic "fail-safe" system.

The project's main contractor, Italian-Thai Development PCL, issued a statement expressing "deepest regrets" and vowing to cover all medical expenses and compensation. The design and supervision consultants are managed by China Railway International.

The SRT confirmed it plans to sue the contractor for civil damages exceeding 100 million baht. Rail authorities have suspended construction at the site indefinitely to conduct a deep safety audit.

The accident occurred on a nearly completed 37.45 km section of the Bangkok-Nakhon Ratchasima high-speed line. Despite the disaster, officials expect rail services in the area to resume within seven days once the wreckage is cleared.