By Goongnang Suksawat

A tour bus caught on fire in Phang Nga following a crash after a driver dumped tourists on a roadside in Phuket and drove away leading police for a chase of over 70 kilometers.

The Tha Chatchai Police told the Phuket Express that on Saturday (January 6th) they were notified from a tour company in Phuket that a bus driver left tourists for apparently no reason at a shop in Kathu, Phuket. He also allegedly attacked a company staffer who tried to stop him from speeding away with the bus. This led to police being called to pursue the bus.

 

The bus was heading to the north of Phuket and had recently exited the Phuket Checkpoint into the Thai Mueang district in Phang Nga.

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-01-08

 

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

A tour bus caught on fire in Phang Nga following a crash after a driver dumped tourists on a roadside in Phuket and drove away leading police for a chase of over 70 kilometers

What?????

"Some days it's just better to stay in bed" said the driver.

What’s the point of having a checkpoint that can’t even stop a bus being pursued by police? Don’t they have radio communications?

I was just wondering recently what the purpose of the checkpoint is. Now I wonder even more. 

welcome to phuket.....now get the f out of my bus !!

24 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

What’s the point of having a checkpoint that can’t even stop a bus being pursued by police? Don’t they have radio communications?

I think he'd passed through befor they were aware of anything 

I don't get why the fire truck is spraying water on the back of the bus, where there is no fire!

 

If they had just pulled up alongside, they could have sprayed the fire directly, perhaps extinguishing it within minutes!

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More tourists who can return home and regale and warn their friends and family about their trip to Amazing Thailand.

Another yaba fueled tourist conveyance operator.

1 hour ago, CanadaSam said:

I don't get why the fire truck is spraying water on the back of the bus, where there is no fire!

 

If they had just pulled up alongside, they could have sprayed the fire directly, perhaps extinguishing it within minutes!

Agree and members of the public shouting and pointing at them to come up front, in one photo it looks like the guy in the white shirt just took over from them. Thai firefighters at their best. Second time I've seen this.

Fortunately no chinese were hurt in this incident.

 

Or they would have told us it hurts Thailands reputation and TAT would have issued a statement or a good news puff piece.

Phuket, the gift that keeps on giving.

On 1/8/2024 at 12:46 AM, hotchilli said:

What?????

 

I know the place the bus crashed. It's roughly 27km from the Tha Chat Chai checkpoint. No idea where the 70km came from.

 

https://www.google.com/maps/@8.3918057,98.2625841,3a,75y,307.5h,98.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCDFwa2ANCuJmwAVwWIIr_g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

 

On 1/8/2024 at 3:38 AM, CanadaSam said:

I don't get why the fire truck is spraying water on the back of the bus, where there is no fire!

 

If they had just pulled up alongside, they could have sprayed the fire directly, perhaps extinguishing it within minutes!

 

Indeed...  after watching the video it seems there is the 'fire equivalent' of a keystone-cops approach to this incident. 

People shouting from all angles adding to the chaos.

 

It certainly seems that the 'fire truck' is positioned rather ineffectively.

On 1/8/2024 at 4:02 AM, Old Croc said:

Another yaba fueled tourist conveyance operator.

 

Recently promoted from mini-van driver ????