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Italian expat  Enzo Carrara, 56, survived being run over by a Phuket bus

VIDEO Expat Rider Goes Under Bus as Driver Loses Control at Phuket Intersection

Friday, December 25, 2015
VIDEO: Bus Crashes into Expat on Motorcycle on Phuket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS8XrngdYyo&feature=youtu.be

PHUKET: An Italian expat is celebrating Christmas today after being discharged from hospital following a bus crash that shows why the large, unsafe vehicles should be banned from Phuket.

Enzo Carrara, 56, a diving tour guide from Samui, was run over by a bus on Phuket earlier this month at an intersection in southern Phuket. The near-tragedy was captured by security cameras.

The bus, unable to stop and with a car emerging from an intersection into its path, clips the car then swings right and runs down Mr Carrara, waiting at the intersection to make a right-hand turn on his motorcycle.

Phuketwan believes Phuket's hilly terrain makes large buses unsafe - as well as impeding traffic.

An excessive number of crashes involve large buses. Phuket has so far avoided the large-scale tragedy that can occur when a bus plunges off a hillside.

Restricting the holiday island to minivans only would speed traffic flow and make the destination more safe.

The incident occurred at the t-junction turn on Karon Hill to Kata and Kata Noi.

VIDEO: Bus Crashes into Expat on Motorcycle on Phuket
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS8XrngdYyo&feature=youtu.be

Comments

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Let me get this straight- bus has right of way and a car pulls in front of it, causing the bus to swerve. Car driver's fault, as he should have ensured the junction was clear before attempting to turn.

So- ban all buses and replace them with lunatic minibus drivers? You certainly are going out with a bang Mr Ed.

Posted by Mister Ree on December 25, 2015 14:38

Editor Comment:

We've been campaigning to have buses removed from the island for some time. Like many things that escape your attention, it's more diifficult to halt a large bus - even when it has no pasengers - than to stop a minivan. There's no issue of right and wrong in this case, but large buses are all deadly juggernauts that also break down and block traffic so they should be banned from Phuket. I know you find it hard to see past the obvious but there's another lesson in logic for you, MR. By the way, not all minivan drivers are lunatics. But that's a separate lesson and it may have to wait.

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I can see the bus in the video from a long distance, yet the Black Car driver caused this accident for his lack of skills and perception.
He should be jailed for at least a year to think about what he did.

Posted by Tbs on December 25, 2015 15:09

Editor Comment:

A male driver, you say?

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I'm always shocked by motorbike riders who stop in the middle of a road in asia. Never ever do that. Never. Please continue driving until you have chance to u-turn. In this to me well known spot it's better to cut in early and use the black car as a blocker for the bus. Don't stop. Use blockers.

Posted by Anonymous on December 25, 2015 20:12

Editor Comment:

Good advice, anonymous. Newbies are advised to pull over to the left if a turn is required, then cross the road once it's safe to do so.

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If you want to see wide scale traffic chaos with mini vans that have become a law unto themselves, visit sunny South Africa. Avoid this pestilence in Thai land.

Posted by Paul on December 25, 2015 23:55

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Since you mentioned before about minivans paid more attention to them in my travels and taken a good look was in Nigeria and Angola and does seem to be an efficient system. Also tried the ones in Bangkok bit cramped for my long legs but they workwell and regular service

Posted by Michael on December 25, 2015 23:56

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Banning big busses? How will you transport all those people? By very safe tuktuks? even safer minivans? or safest of all by motorbike?

Creating 4, 6 or even 8-laneroads for cars is a very bad idea. Phuketwan wants natural beauty. Solution? Removing sunbeds. The real problems you ignore.

Posted by sten junnesson on December 26, 2015 09:13

Editor Comment:

An island-long tram will not entice people to abandon their motorcycles and their door-to-door metality. It is just a matter of time until Phuket's hills produce a catastrophic bus crash. Our suggestion to make the island mini-vans only, and provide as many lanes for traffic as possible, will keep the island running. The alternative - ceasing to expand arrivals and businesses - is not likely.Sunbeds were a problem but they are not any more. Phuket's future is as an island-city with good beaches and access to natural coral reefs. Fortunately the good weather is still appealing.

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Traffic is a problem. If you are such a big fan of natural beauty why do you want as many lanes as possible? Lanes cause very much more damage to the natural beauty of Phuket then the sunbeds. For sure phuketwan will disappear and for sure sunbeds will be on the beaches of Phuket (just like in the rest of Thailand). Both make me very happy.

Posted by sten junnesson on December 26, 2015 12:02

Editor Comment:

Natural beauty is never found on a freeway, sten, except for pickups piled high with transplanted trees. The trees down the middle of Thepkasattri Road will either disappear for the tram or for more lanes.Layabouts on sunbeds have nothing to do with ''nature,'' sten. What you really mean to say is: I am only interested in myself and my own happiness. Nothing else matters. Go on, admit you're just plain selfish.

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People on sunbeds do not destroy the nature. Roads do.

Who need the roads most? not the sunbedlovers!

Reading his message and your reactions on several messages (and articles!) is not Sten the selfish and self-interested one here, but you are ed.

Posted by Leo on December 26, 2015 13:34

Editor Comment:

That depends, Leo, on whether you think Sten really wants to get to the beach to see whether the sunbeds have returned or whether he prefers to be stuck in traffic for his entire holiday. It would have made sense never to have roads, but to force tourists to march along jungle paths instead. Those who struggled to make the beach would carry less luggage next time. And of course, the resorts are not ''natural'' either, so tourists would construct their own thatch and leaf dwellings on arrival. Ah, such a paradise for nature lovers like Sten and you, Leo/Rene/John.

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without strict regulations, police enforcement, harsh punishments nothing will change.. many people are not qualified to drive or do not even have a drivers licence because the get away with it.. If not a bust it will be a truck like one that killed mother with kid on motorbike few years ago pattong I believe :(

Posted by Kinski on December 27, 2015 11:14

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Most obviously, the woman (ed. indicated it's not a male driver) has not a clue as to how to make a right turn into a busy thoroughfare. Stop in the first lane and assess the traffic. Continue in front of a moving bus. Cause avoidable accident. Trap poor farang under bus. Did the Mazda driver at least get a traffic summons for this nonsense?

Posted by Sam on December 27, 2015 17:44

Editor Comment:

Actually all I asked was whether the commenter knew the driver was male or female. As we now know, the driver of the Mazda was a non-Thai man. We have some sympathy - it's a dangerous intersection. Police are still investigating.


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