"It's not clear tonight whether Phuket authorities are still enforcing that order."

Probably not because they have much more dangerous and important things to care about: Sun chairs and umbrellas at the beaches...

Posted by PhuketFriendly on February 20, 2015 20:39

Yes! Finally again a crash on Patong Hill. I was waiting for it. Did the driver got a check on drugs/alcohol, and the number of driving hours ( to tired, not alert)? Does he has a correct driving license? Good eye sight?Are the thai authorities now checking the technical condition and maintenance records of that bus? Ok, up to next crash on patong Hill.

Posted by Kurt on February 20, 2015 20:54

The odds of a Chinese tourist surviving their trip to Phuket is still in their favor.

Posted by Joe on February 20, 2015 21:09

Boy, what a huge surprise...NOT!!! Just another day in beautiful Phuket, where tourists routinely place themselves in the hands of reckless and poorly trained locals that don't care about anything except making money. It just becomes more apparent all the time, that Phuket doesn't deserve the benefit of being a popular tourist destination. Foolish rules that change so often that nobody knows what the rule of the day is, greedy merchants, corruption, careless drivers and lack of any kind of law enforcement (except fleecing tourists for no motorbike license), on top of having the 2nd deadliest traffic safety record in the world! With all this happening, nothing ever changes.

Posted by Ed Sanders on February 20, 2015 21:10

Probably just a blown tyre! Nothing at all to do with vehicle maintenance or driver competence.

Posted by Hugh on February 20, 2015 22:05

The worst is yet to come. Sadly there seems to be complete apathy for bus safety on this dangerous road. What is the answer?

Posted by seht1912 on February 20, 2015 22:26

Normally these coach crashes are brake failures. Let us see.......

Posted by Feisty Farang on February 20, 2015 22:27

Meanwhile on the beaches the authorities are tough on 'crime'- a certain lack of priorities methinks. Surely road safety takes priority over naughty tourists flouting chair rules on the beach.

'It's not clear tonight whether Phuket authorities are still enforcing that order. ' Its perfectly clear when one is regularly stuck behind a clapped out bus staggering over the hill at 8am.

Posted by Mister Ree on February 20, 2015 23:05

Orders? What orders?
No have the police run around on the beaches and fine tourists and make them look like idiots in peoples eyes all over the world, than make sure that there's no heavy traffic passes over the hills as said.

Posted by Nicky on February 20, 2015 23:42

Watching from afar this high season, reading Phuketwan is like "Counting Stars," and ironically, One Republic is playing that excellent song in the background..

Cheers from Canada

Posted by farang888 on February 20, 2015 23:47

Something is strange about the location, from Patong Hill to Nanai Road takes you about 2 miles...

Posted by Beer Chang on February 20, 2015 23:49

Obviously the Chinese are the biggest % of the tourist market now so are vulnerable to what appears to be diminishing standards; BUT even the Chinese must be starting to question the number of accidents & injuries & fatalities?

Posted by Logic on February 20, 2015 23:58

I doubt it swung all the way into Nanai road or that would have been one spectacular leap.

Give or take 500m as the crow flies, but hardly a bus.

You probably mean Pisitkoranee Rd.

Posted by Herbert on February 21, 2015 00:41

I don't know how but they should take a look at this problem and solve it before more innocent people dies and their holidays get ruined... i guess 27 different people will comment on this with all the solutions and they might be right, but who ever has the right plan just enforce it god dammit.. i guess (geusswork indeed) the authorities as usual lacking of co operation among them.. its not a good case where u guys can put ur head in the sand... with ur powers it comes some responsibility not only coffemoney ...

Posted by frog on February 21, 2015 00:46

To much frequency and its evident nil is going to be done to address this consistent issue.

Posted by slickmelb on February 21, 2015 03:02

Sorry for those who were travelling in the bus, and of course those around the specific area. Again, this highlights the dangers of the roads in Phuket, and of course the poor health and safety standards.

If there was good enough reason to adopt an alternative form of transport (like a BTS train service), here is the proof. Roads in Phuket are bursting at the seems, ill-equipped to handle the growing traffic problem.

Is anyone with authority, listening to the problems of Phuket ?

Posted by reader on February 21, 2015 06:00

brake failure for sure

Posted by sky on February 21, 2015 07:27

Lets see if the bus owner is held accountable for damages, assuming this is a brake failure

Anyway, lets get back to the beach bed business, what are today's rules?

Posted by geoff on February 21, 2015 09:15

This is all so terribly sad, Phuket will be returned to its people, no more tourism.

Posted by Deb on February 21, 2015 10:20

[quote]
...and has not shown a great deal of interest in the opinions of tourists' representatives about safety and security issues.
[/quote]

Your comment is very polite - many of us would use more colourful language to describe the attitude of the authorities

Posted by Simon Luttrell on February 21, 2015 10:33

every time same !!!! driver not good or the hill !!! no no
the buses with chinese are all more than 20 years old mostly 2 times in the week they not come up the mountain no controls on the road !!! about the quality of the bus there is no after control so who check ???? yes we understand how it works !!!!!

Posted by d on February 21, 2015 11:55

The cement truck which overturned at the same place for a couple of years ago, drove the road several times with the same driver, so it was simply reckless driving.

This time it was a bus marked Ranong - Krabi, so it is likely that the driver was not familiar with Patong hill. A big clear warning sign at the top of the hill, could perhaps make outsider drivers consider to slow down before the start of the descent, so there was an opportunity to control the vehicle when the bottom was reached.

Posted by Sherlock on February 21, 2015 12:51

just look at the video on phuketwan, it very clearly shows the bus being driven at high speed & not under control on that
turn.bus was well over the wrong side.
driver should get a long time in jail & never allowed to drive anything again.

Posted by lady on February 21, 2015 12:52

Yes it is Pisitkoranee Rd. I had been around that stretch many times. The people who live and work at the bottom of that hill must fear for their lives every day , particularly when it rains. Looks like they need to put up concrete barriers in front of everyones building. Or stick to their " big vehicles detour " plan. Its a miracle no one was killed.

Posted by carvets on February 22, 2015 06:42

Is it possible to find out whether the bus and truck ban at peak times is still in place? The last crash article suggested it was but the police were too busy to station a man at the kathu checkpoint to stop vehicles making the journey.

Having followed 4 buses down the hill into Patong this week (with a dashcam running) in evening rush hour, all of them were riding the brakes all the way from Chinese temple to family mart and then again from sea pearl resort to the bottom - a sure fire way to cook them leading to the inevitable brake failure that is always blamed.

Would any police officer like to see the videos so they can take action? Should I take them to the damrong ( not sure of spelling) centre to lodge a formal complaint against the bus companies?

Does anyone care? (Rhetorical question.....)

Let the carnage continue, much easier!

Posted by Amazing Thailand on February 22, 2015 22:30