Patong Police Pursue Driver in Hit-Run Death
By Phuketwan Reporters Friday, April 29, 2011
PHUKET police are keen to talk to the driver who left the scene of a fatal crash in Patong in which a bar hostess was killed.
Sasisom Chernsuwan, 37, toppled from her motorcycle when she struck a pothole in the road behind Jungceylon about 4.30pm on Wednesday, say Patong police.
She fell into the path of a light-colored Toyota saloon that struck her in the head, said one officer, killing her on the spot.
The vehicle did not stop.
Khun Sasisorm's high heels were lying close to the scene of the crash.
The road toll figure for April on Phuket is likely to be higher because of the crash on Big Buddha Hill at Songkran that claimed six lives. At least two expats have also died in crashes since then.
Thirteen people died on Phuket roads in March. The tally for the first three months of 2011 was 30, a considerable drop over the 39 fatalities in the first quarter of 2010 and the 42 deaths in the same period of 2009.
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Comments
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In your headline, I think you mean "Seek" instead of "Pursue". "Pursue" means "follow or chase". Your report indicates that the police did not follow or chase anybody. Your headline suggests there was a police chase but your report contradicts this.
Posted by
Tom
on
April 29, 2011 09:20
I've been on that road hundreds of times and it's in terrible shape and has been for years. What will it take to get it properly paved? Such a waste of life. Typical local driver who runs away from a hit and run. He knows that his chances of getting caught are practically nil due to incompetent law enforcement. Was the driver of the tourist bus that crashed a few weeks ago ever caught? Life is cheap in Thailand.
Posted by
American guy
on
April 29, 2011 09:24
Very sad incident in every way.... RIP.
Hopefully the story will get some action on this goat track excuse for a road. How many more lives will it claim before the "authorities" take remedial action. For a road to exist in such a constant state of disrepair is atrocious, apart from the danger it causes, it is a very busy road now and this year has only been patched up a couple of times. Last year they patched it numerous times, but in typical style it lasts only a couple of days before collapsing again. What a joke and makes a mockery of local government abilities to manage even the most basic,but necessary infrastructure.
Posted by
davidj
on
April 29, 2011 09:39
I agree that the new road through the heart of town, an opportunity to be a showpiece and to take through traffic away from where people should be able to stroll on the Beach and Ratuthit Roads, is a disgrace and a too accurate commentary on the ability of the authorities to do the important things and get them right. The southern most stub, completed years before the rest, properly divided, tasteful plants and trees, walkable sidewalks served as a hint of what should have come. Instead a wreck where people fall in the holes. And did you ever risk your life trying to cross between Banzaan and Jungceylon!
Posted by
ssresident
on
April 29, 2011 11:53
Oh what a terrible waste of yet another human life. All because nobody could keep the roads in a good state of repair. This will be the undoing of Phuket, road between Kata/Karon and Patong + road behind Jungceylon.
Come on these roads in question, are beginning to resemble an african bicycle track.
Doesn't anybody in authority have any pride left in the state of Phukets' infrastructure?
Posted by
Graham
on
April 29, 2011 12:01
Editor Comment:
Six people die on Big Buddha Hill and the reaction is the immediate transformation of a killer corner. A bar hostess dies needlessly in Patong after hitting a pothole . . . does Patong care?
I guess we will find out.
There seems to be an opinion among some Thai residents I spoke to that so much was taken from the budget allocated to make the middle road in corrupt payments that there wasn't enough left to do the job properly. Sounds plausible to me.
Posted by
Soupdragon
on
April 29, 2011 12:18
Soupdragon, I have spoken to a couple of Thai businessmen who would agree with you, as i do. These guys have suggested that when all the much needed [joke] new condos and guesthouses are completed on this road, the owners will be asked to "fund" the new roadworks.Sounds about right to me.
Posted by
davidj
on
April 29, 2011 12:49
Are you kidding me? 4.30pm? There would have been hundreds of people around at that time of the day on motorcycles. Why didn't somebody not follow this vehicle? It would be much more plausible if the reason the driver got away was because the accident took place at 4.30am.
But Phuket is not like some hillbilly backwater. It's a rich province and should be properly maintained as a showpiece the rest of the country. I've often walked down that road to get to Jungceylon myself from the north and it's a nightmare. The only time they ever repair the road is when they build yet another row of pharmacies and tattoo parlors somewhere along the way.
Posted by
Xircal
on
April 29, 2011 13:00
They have fixed that road several times, but each time we get heavy rain it has pot holes. They should get a decent contracter to fix it properly instead of the lousy road works that are done time and time again, but that's corruption for you. someone else always ends up paying for it!
Posted by
Dave
on
April 29, 2011 16:05
How could they fix the road when they spent all that money on the welcome to Patong sign. Wasn't that 9mil. Wonder what the actual cost to build it was.
Ed, how do you know she was a bar hostess?
Posted by
Vfaye
on
April 30, 2011 00:20
Would Chairat please do what he promised years ago, turn this pothole collection into a reasonable road ASAP? Oh, sorry! I forgot it is more important to switch direction of the biggest roundabout of the island. :-(
Posted by
LongTimeResident
on
April 30, 2011 00:57
It's sad that millions of Baht can be spent on frivolous things like a "Patong City" monument, but the roads cannot be kept. That road behind Jungceylon is a disgrace. Shame on you.
Posted by
GiantFan
on
April 30, 2011 07:22
Yet another life ended on Thepkasatri Road yesterday midday. White motorcycle, pink wrap covered body. Yes that road also has some nasty potholes.
Sorry do not know what, why or who was involved in this accident.
Posted by
Graham
on
May 1, 2011 10:14
shame, wasted young life.
I was driving along this road less then 3 weeks ago at around 6.30pm and a ambulance came along with flashing lights and sirens! Nobody could physicaly move out of the way due to the state of the road. When a ambulance is called out it means a life is in stake and minutes or seconds count yet the driver had to slow down to the road being full of pot holes! Shocking!!! I just hope that who ever that ambulance was going to was ok and is still alive.
Every time this road is filled it no longer becomes potholes but big lumps on the road. This is not safe and not correct! Its a shame it has taken a life for people to realise this, i just hope something is done about it soon. I don't pay tax in thailand for nothing!
Posted by
expat
on
May 6, 2011 01:28
Yes, I drove along this road today with my wife and I explained that the 'Welome to Patong' sign cost 'gow lang baht' (nine million) - she simply could not believe that a such-needed artery in Patong could be neglected in favor of a folie.
Posted by
Sam W
on
May 7, 2011 19:11
I'm pretty sure the road behind Jungceylon is a private road, and so it has nothing to do with the local authorities.
Posted by
christian
on
May 11, 2011 20:55
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In your headline, I think you mean "Seek" instead of "Pursue". "Pursue" means "follow or chase". Your report indicates that the police did not follow or chase anybody. Your headline suggests there was a police chase but your report contradicts this.
Posted by Tom on April 29, 2011 09:20