Sikhiu: Italian-Thai Development (ITD) Pcl anticipates a two-day effort to remove a high-speed railway construction crane that collapsed onto tracks, leaving grieving families questioning the safety standards of major infrastructure projects.

According to Thai News Agency, recovery operations commenced on Friday with the arrival of eight heavy-duty cranes. Officials revised the plan to include more machinery and additional counterweights to handle the several-hundred-ton structure. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) stated that track repairs would take approximately six hours once the wreckage is cleared, with services expected to resume on Monday, Jan. 19, pending safety certification.

At the site in Sikhiu district, families gathered to perform rites for the deceased. Among them were three daughters, whose parents were tragically killed while traveling to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Surachai Yu-intharatrai, a relative, expressed his concerns over the repeated accidents and questioned the safety measures in place.

Meanwhile, at Maharaj Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, identification efforts continued. Boonyuen, a 71-year-old village undertaker, arrived to claim the body of his daughter, who was traveling to a family funeral in Si Sa Ket at the time of the accident. Boonyuen shared his disbelief at having to collect his own daughter's remains.

Survivors recounted their harrowing experiences, including Taew, who survived with facial bruising but lost her German husband, Frederick. She is awaiting the arrival of their daughter from Germany to hold a funeral in Thailand.

The tragedy has also impacted the sports community, with families in Pattani province preparing funerals for two Pattani FC supporters who were among six fans killed en route to a match against Buriram United.