SURAT THANI: The mayor of Nasan Municipality was killed when the SUV he was driving was hit by an express train at a railway crossing on Monday night.
A railway employee told police one of the barrier arms at the crossing had malfunctioned and failed to drop down.
The accident occurred about 8.17pm.
Express train 84 (Trang-Bangkok) hit the Toyota Fortuner driven by Kosol Sulathangkul, the mayor of Nasan township, Ban Nasan district, as it passed through the crossing near Soi 9 on Phlusiri road, about a kilometre from Ban Nasan railway station.
The mayor's vehicle was dragged about 500 metres along the track before the train ground to a halt. Kosol was found dead at the wheel.
Rescuers removed the wrecked vehicle from the track. The slightly damaged train resumed its journey shortly before 1am and was expected to arrive at Bangkok Central station about 3pm on Tuesday.
Pol Col Wittawee Paritanon, the Ban Nasan police chief, said the railway employee manning the crossing told investigators four barrier arms were supposed to drop down across the road. At the time of the accident, one of the arms malfunctioned and did not come down as the train approached.
Kosol drove under the still-raised crossbar and stopped his SUV right on the rail track. The train arrived and hit the car. The man said he tried to stop the mayor by signalling him with a flashlight, but to no avail.
The police investigation into the crash was continuing.
