3 killed, more than 70 injured in Thai train crash

BANGKOK, Jan 14 (Reuters) Three Thai railway workers were killed and more than 70 passengers injured today when a train on the wrong line crashed into another at a station south of Bangkok, a railway official said.

One train was waiting at Nongkae station, on the main route south near the resort town of Hua Hin, for the other to pass through first, but the second train was diverted onto the same track, the official said.

''We are now investigating the cause of the crash,'' he said.

The driver and a female worker on the waiting train were killed and another male railway worker died on the way to hospital. More than 70 injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, the official said.

Traffic was held up for several hours, but the track had been cleared and normal services had resumed, he added.

REUTERS SP HT1004