Train wreck of a plan

Crossing chaos: Vehicles are seen on Monday at the Asok-Phetchaburi rail-crossing in Bangkok, where two days earlier, a cargo train smashed into a public bus and other vehicles that had stopped on the rail track, killing eight and injuring around 30 people. (Photo: Pattarapong Chatpattarasill)

In a bid to avoid another tragic crash after a freight train collided with a bus at the Asok-Phetchaburi crossing last Saturday, resulting in multiple casualties, Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn has come up with the idea of scrapping commuter train services into central Bangkok.

Unsurprisingly, this has drawn public outrage, with brickbats being hurled from many directions.