Three foreign workers who were trapped in a collapsed railway tunnel in northeastern Thailand have been successfully retrieved after an intensive rescue effort. The incident occurred during the construction of a Thai-Chinese high-speed railway project connecting Bangkok to Nong Khai province, bordering Laos.
The tunnel collapse took place in Nakhon Ratchasima province, approximately 250 kilometers northeast of Bangkok. The victims, one from Myanmar and two from China, were inside the tunnel when part of it caved in on Saturday night.
An investigation into the accident is ongoing, with initial reports suggesting that heavy rainfall in the area may have contributed to the collapse. The bodies of the three workers, including a truck driver from Myanmar and two Chinese nationals serving as a supervisor and backhoe operator, have been recovered.
Autopsies conducted at a provincial hospital will determine the cause of death, with preliminary findings indicating that the first victim died from suffocation. The rescue operation, spanning 126 hours, was jointly conducted by the State Railway of Thailand and a Chinese rescue team that arrived at the site on Tuesday.
The high-speed railway project, with a total investment exceeding 520 billion baht ($15.3 billion), is being implemented in two stages. The Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima segment, covering 243 kilometers, is slated for completion by 2028, while the Nakhon Ratchasima to Nong Khai segment, spanning 356 kilometers, is expected to be operational by 2029.
