Man nabbed over theft of rail screws that caused train to derail in Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi police have arrested a man who allegedly stole many metal screws needed to help hold the rails in place on a section of local track– an act which caused derailments of six cars in a train service on Monday.

The suspect is identified as Sompong Khlaikhlueng, 54. Police are looking for a man who helped remove the screws.

Police received a tip-off from a metal scrapping yard, which bought 66 screws and 20 metal plates that are used to hold rails in place, from Sompong and the second suspect.

Police also seized a pick-up truck that Sompong drove to the scavenger shop located in Cha-am district in order to sell the stolen items.

An eight-car train derailed in Phetchaburi province on Monday as a result of the large number of screws and other attachment devices that were removed from a 342-metre rail section.

Six cars of the train travelling from Lang Suan to Thon Buri swerved off the railway. There were no injuries, but the derailment caused a huge congestion of train traffic as well as a hectic transfer of more than 200 passengers to another train.