PHUKET: The Central Festival traffic underpass on Phuket survived its first emergency unscathed last night when a tourist bus ran out of fuel inside the tunnel.
Critics have been warning of ''a below-ground disaster'' but the passengers on the bus managed to alight safely from the stopped bus inside the tunnel.
Officers from Vichit Police Station blocked off the underpass while emergency procedures went into operation about 11.30pm.
The driver of the bus told police he had run out of petrol. ''He will be charged with dangerous driving,'' an officer said.
The 600 million baht underpass was officially opened on April 6.
The skills of bus driver and the maintenance of tourist buses have been criticised, with Phuket authorities under-staffed and unable to check as many vehicles as they would like.
Phuket opted for underpasses because overpasses were considered too unsightly for a tourist island, and too much of a reminder of Bangkok and other cities.
Since the opening Phuket police have been stopping motorcyclists and warning them that they face a fine if they use the underpass. It's reserved for cars, buses and trucks.
Phuket's second underpass, about a kilometre down the bypass road in Phuket City at the Tesco Lotus intersection, is due to be completed in October and officially opened early in 2016.
More underpasses are planned for Chalong Circle in Phuket's south and the junction of the bypass road with Thepkasattri Road.
Critics have been warning of ''a below-ground disaster'' but the passengers on the bus managed to alight safely from the stopped bus inside the tunnel.
Officers from Vichit Police Station blocked off the underpass while emergency procedures went into operation about 11.30pm.
The driver of the bus told police he had run out of petrol. ''He will be charged with dangerous driving,'' an officer said.
The 600 million baht underpass was officially opened on April 6.
The skills of bus driver and the maintenance of tourist buses have been criticised, with Phuket authorities under-staffed and unable to check as many vehicles as they would like.
Phuket opted for underpasses because overpasses were considered too unsightly for a tourist island, and too much of a reminder of Bangkok and other cities.
Since the opening Phuket police have been stopping motorcyclists and warning them that they face a fine if they use the underpass. It's reserved for cars, buses and trucks.
Phuket's second underpass, about a kilometre down the bypass road in Phuket City at the Tesco Lotus intersection, is due to be completed in October and officially opened early in 2016.
More underpasses are planned for Chalong Circle in Phuket's south and the junction of the bypass road with Thepkasattri Road.
Hahaha,funny. Says something of the bus drivers' professionalism. As a tourist visiting Phuket you have to be prepared for unexpected happenings.
Underpasses because overpasses are unsightly. That is humor. Actually a overpass besides Central Festival would have hidden a bit the ugly unsightly flat building high bill boards at that intersection.
Posted by Kurt on April 17, 2015 10:30