PHUKET: A tourist bus that crashed on a Phuket hill today, injuring several Russians, was carrying more passengers than it should have been, Phuket Transport Director Terayout Prasertphol said today.
He said the bus was registered to carry 24 people but had been fitted out with seating for 36 after registration.
''We need to carry out checks urgently to make sure that all tourist buses conform to regulations,'' he said.
An initial investigation by Transport Department officers indicates it was not a brake malfunction that led the bus to plung off Patong Hill at 12.37pm.
Photographs of the scene show how remarkable it was that none of the 37 people on the bus were killed.
The steep bend is notorious and several buses have previously failed to make the sharp turn, even in perfect dry weather as was the case today.
One person died in a bus crash on the same bend in March. After that crash, the driver fled and is still wanted by police.
In a tourist bus crash just four days ago on Phuket's other heavily trafficked hill, the route between Karon and Chalong, a Chinese woman was killed.
But Khun Terayout said today that brake failure caused that crash. There was no mechancial failure in evidence so far with today's crash.
The Russians were making their way from Phuket International Airport to the Duangjitt Resort in southern Patong when the bus left the road.
The driver of the bus, Nakrob Tiewtrakul, 42, told Phuketwan today that traffic had backed up the Patong Hill road, as it often does, as he approached the steep curve.
''There were problems as I changed down a gear,'' he said. ''I saw a mound of earth and headed the bus towards that, but we missed and went over the edge.''
Remarkably, the bus ended up at 45 degrees, wedged against a building under construction. Beams from the building site broke bus windows.
But there were no serious injuries. The bus driver is likely to face more intense questioning from police tomorrow and Transport Department officers will be beginning an urgent review of bus registrations and driver quality.
UPDATE Phuket Tourist Bus Crashes Off Patong Hill: Russians Had Just LandedHe said the bus was registered to carry 24 people but had been fitted out with seating for 36 after registration.
''We need to carry out checks urgently to make sure that all tourist buses conform to regulations,'' he said.
An initial investigation by Transport Department officers indicates it was not a brake malfunction that led the bus to plung off Patong Hill at 12.37pm.
Photographs of the scene show how remarkable it was that none of the 37 people on the bus were killed.
The steep bend is notorious and several buses have previously failed to make the sharp turn, even in perfect dry weather as was the case today.
One person died in a bus crash on the same bend in March. After that crash, the driver fled and is still wanted by police.
In a tourist bus crash just four days ago on Phuket's other heavily trafficked hill, the route between Karon and Chalong, a Chinese woman was killed.
But Khun Terayout said today that brake failure caused that crash. There was no mechancial failure in evidence so far with today's crash.
The Russians were making their way from Phuket International Airport to the Duangjitt Resort in southern Patong when the bus left the road.
The driver of the bus, Nakrob Tiewtrakul, 42, told Phuketwan today that traffic had backed up the Patong Hill road, as it often does, as he approached the steep curve.
''There were problems as I changed down a gear,'' he said. ''I saw a mound of earth and headed the bus towards that, but we missed and went over the edge.''
Remarkably, the bus ended up at 45 degrees, wedged against a building under construction. Beams from the building site broke bus windows.
But there were no serious injuries. The bus driver is likely to face more intense questioning from police tomorrow and Transport Department officers will be beginning an urgent review of bus registrations and driver quality.
UPDATE A tour bus has crashed on Patong Hill near the same curve as a crash earlier this year which killed one and injured scores of others. It's the second bus crash within days.
UPDATE Phuket Tourist Bus Crashes Off Patong Hill: Russians Had Just Landed
Phuket Tourist Bus Crashes on Steep Hill: One Dead, Many Hurt
News UPDATE A tourist bus plunges into jungle on a dangerous Phuket hill, killing one Chinese woman tourist and injuring scores of others - and a second bus trying to save time also crashes.
Phuket Tourist Bus Crashes on Steep Hill: One Dead, Many Hurt
Phuket's Big Patong Hill Bus Crash: Photo Special
BUS CRASH PHOTO ALBUM Dramatic images from the Phuket bus crash. Patong Hill was blocked for hours; three of the 41 injured are badly hurt. On board were a total of 55 people.
Phuket's Big Patong Hill Bus Crash: Photo Special
URGENT Phuket Bus Overturns: Passengers Trapped; Patong Hill Closed; Cranes Swing in
Breaking News UPDATE Rescuers were working feverishly to free passengers trapped when a tour bus carrying about 40 people overturned on Patong Hill, blocking the island's economic lifeline for hours.
URGENT Phuket Bus Overturns: Passengers Trapped; Patong Hill Closed; Cranes Swing in
Two Phuket Tour Buses Crash on Patong Hill in Quick Succession
Exclusive A young Finnish tourist was injured in a tour bus crash on Phuket's notorious Patong Hill just hours before a second bus overturned, leaving one man dead and scores injured.
Two Phuket Tour Buses Crash on Patong Hill in Quick Succession
Phuket Police Hunt Bus Crash Driver: Anger as 'No-Name Nuan' Flees
Latest Phuket police say a bus driver involved in a tour bus crash had worked for the bus company for three months, but the bus company did not have his details. He's on the run.
Phuket Police Hunt Bus Crash Driver: Anger as 'No-Name Nuan' Flees
Horrible way to begin a vacation on Phuket. At least no one was killed.
Posted by Anonymous on October 26, 2011 21:32