Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

An injured patient is transferred from Patong Hospital to Phuket City

Tourists Hurt as Minibus and Store Truck Collide Near Patong

Thursday, December 29, 2011
PHUKET: A Phuket minibus carrying tourists to Patong collided with a Super Cheap truck on the road between Karon and Patong tonight, leaving several Russians injured.

The Super Cheap truck driver lost control on a wet road near the entrance to Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort about 6.55pm, crashing in to the minibus.

Lack of Russian language skills posed difficulties as the injured were taken to Patong Hospital, where the Thai driver of the Super Cheap truck was admitted. Two Burmese passengers were unhurt.

Four of the Russians, who were on their way from the Katathani Resort at Kata Noi beach to this evening's grand illusion show at Danze Fantasy in Soi Bangla, Patong, escaped injury.

Two others were treated at Patong Hospital and allowed to go. Two more, with broken limbs, were transferred by ambulance to Phuket International Hospital in Phuket City.

Today was the first day of the Seven Days of Danger campaign to minimise the New year road toll.

Highway Police and Public Transport officers turned out near the main airport road junction to turn speed radars on motorists, breathalyse drivers and book illegal taxis.

A total of 55 checkpoints will be operating across Phuket on New Year's Eve, with volunteers joining police in manning the posts.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

Were the Russians not drinking? Seems hard to believe.

Posted by Babushka on December 29, 2011 23:35

gravatar

Great advertisement for the Eds Business of the Year! Might be as successful as the 100% helmet campaign Phuketwan awarded Phuket person of the year for due to the "success" it claims when everyone else in Phuket realize it has not managed to encourage police to control helmet wearing let alone change the mindset of the local people.

Posted by Jimmy on December 30, 2011 01:12

Editor Comment:

Jimmy, you're the cringing, harping, close-minded, unseeing reader of the year. Congratulations.

gravatar

The news reflects that Phuket is being overwhelmed by Russians. I was reading online that only 1% of the Russian population can afford overseas trips. It seems that 1% are all coming to Thailand. The Thai tour guides must be grinding their teeth, since it is obvious with the number of Russians coming here that Russians tour guides are being used, Since Phuket is attuned for mainly English and since it is unlikely that Russians will be going to english classes - it will be a while before they will be understood if ever. Most likely it is the language problem why they stay together in such large groups, ( the Russians section at Kata beach for example.) which can cause problems with other tourists since they do not blend in.

Posted by Ivan on December 30, 2011 06:44

gravatar

wow..do I detect anti-Russian sentiment..the article is really about an accident between a mini bus and a truck..NOT whether the Russians had been drinking or whether Phuket is being over-run by Russians...I hope all those injured recover quickly..

Posted by Laurie Howells on December 30, 2011 07:57

gravatar

hey ed about a month ago not long after the girl got run over by truck and killed on beach road patong there was a massive accident at karon beach on the top road between karon and kata..the car was totally wrecked couldn't be moved and there was a dead person totally mangled in the middle of the road.but i have not seen this reported in any newspaper or web site.????

Posted by wazza on December 30, 2011 11:29

Editor Comment:

Wazza, some but not all deaths in crashes are reported in the English-language media. If you have Thai friends, maybe one of them saw it reported in the Thai media, which does a more thorough job on road incidents (this being Thailand). It's more likely to be an oversight than a coverup.

gravatar

ROFL @ Mr Ed's reader of the year. Maybe we can introduce the "Whinger and Bar'' award for special occasions and exceedingly banal comments. Some people would complain in Utopia!!

Posted by Mister Ree on December 30, 2011 11:53

gravatar

Well to be honest I have been coming to Patong for the past 7 years, stay three to five months and yes I have met an assortment of russians and been on many tours with them and at 99% were drunk before the tour started, I feel sorry for those injured.Do I believe a glut in Russian Tourists? YES i do

Posted by Alex on December 30, 2011 13:05

gravatar

Alex, you sound surprised? 99% of Russians are drunk 99% of the time. If they could, they'd drink 99% alcohol. Why do you think the life expectancy of the Russian male is 55 years, below most countries in Africa? Then again, if I had to live most of the year in Russia, I'd probably drink all the time too, so they have my sympathies.

Posted by Babushka on December 30, 2011 15:56


Friday March 29, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter