Thailand’s government has ordered an urgent investigation after a second construction crane collapse in two days killed two people near Bangkok, raising serious concerns about safety standards on major infrastructure projects across the Southeast Asian nation.
The latest incident occurred on Thursday, January 15, 2026, along the Rama II Expressway in Samut Sakhon Province, a coastal industrial area located on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand’s capital and largest city. A massive highway construction crane collapsed onto a busy roadway, killing two people and narrowly missing several motorists.
Okay News reports that the tragedy followed another devastating crane failure just one day earlier in Nakhon Ratchasima Province in northeastern Thailand, where a crane collapsed onto a passenger train, killing at least thirty two people in one of the country’s deadliest rail accidents in years.
Verified car dashboard camera footage from the Samut Sakhon incident captured the moment the crane toppled, sending thick clouds of dust and concrete debris into the air as vehicles abruptly stopped or reversed to avoid being struck.
Booncherd La-orium, a sixty nine year old motorcycle taxi driver who operates in the suburb outside Bangkok, said the repeated incidents had left him deeply shaken.
“I had goosebumps just thinking about how risky it is to be here. It could have happened to me,” he told Agence France Presse.
“I still cannot get over yesterday’s incident, and this morning I heard another one happened again.”
Thailand’s Minister of Transport, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, confirmed that the same construction firm, Italian Thai Development, was involved in both crane collapses. Italian Thai Development is one of Thailand’s largest construction companies and is responsible for several major government backed infrastructure projects.
“Yes, it is Italian Thai. I still do not understand what happened,” Phiphat told local media on Thursday.
“We have to find out the facts, whether it was an accident or something else,” he added, confirming that two people were killed in the Samut Sakhon collapse.
Local police chief Sitthiporn Kasi said the crane fell at a section of the Rama II Expressway that has been under construction for years. The expressway is a major transport artery linking Bangkok to southern Thailand and hosts several ongoing toll road and highway expansion projects.
In additional verified footage from the same vehicle involved in the dash camera recording, one voice can be heard saying, “I almost died… Please pull over first.”
Another voice responds, “That is okay now. It is not falling further. It is a crane collapse again in front of me.”
“That was close,” the first voice adds.
Rescue worker Sutthiwat Thanomsat said he arrived shortly after the crash and witnessed the aftermath, including a pickup truck driver who was killed instantly when the crane struck the vehicle.
“Injured people were taken to a local hospital,” he told Agence France Presse.
The Rama II Expressway has become notorious for repeated fatal accidents linked to construction work. Long delays, multiple deaths, and safety concerns have earned the route the grim nickname “Death Road” among local residents.
Surachai Wongho, a sixty one year old retiree who drives along Rama II daily, said the constant risk has taken a psychological toll.
“It is the same incident happening over and over again in Thailand. It is time for the government to do something,” he said.
The Samut Sakhon incident came just one day after a much larger disaster in Nakhon Ratchasima Province, located northeast of Bangkok. On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, a massive launching gantry crane used in the construction of a China backed high speed rail project collapsed onto a passenger train traveling below.
Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health confirmed that thirty two people were killed, three remained missing, and sixty four others were injured, including seven in serious condition.
The crane was part of an elevated high speed rail line being built as a joint project between the governments of Thailand and the People’s Republic of China. The structure remained hanging precariously from giant concrete pillars a day after the crash.
Italian Thai Development issued a statement expressing condolences to the families of the victims and pledged to compensate affected families and cover medical expenses for the injured.
Thailand’s national rail operator ordered Italian Thai Development to halt all construction work on the project pending the outcome of a full investigation. Minister Phiphat said all parties involved would be held accountable, including Italian Thai Development and a Chinese consultancy firm linked to the project.
The crane operator involved in the Nakhon Ratchasima crash was a Thai national who fell and died during the incident, according to an Italian Thai employee who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The back to back disasters have intensified calls for stricter oversight of Thailand’s construction industry as the government faces mounting pressure to prevent further loss of life.
