Tourist Bus Overturns On Chalong-Kata Hill, One Dead, Many Hurt

[webfact]

Phuket Breaking News: Bus overturns on Chalong-Kata hill

Emergency rescue workers and onlookers survey the damage of the

latest tragedy involving a tour bus in Phuket. Photo: Dean Noble

The Phuket tour bus snapped one power pole in half and breached the

heavy-duty guard rail. Photo: Dean Noble

PHUKET: -- A tour bus overturned on a steep section of Patak Road in Chalong this morning, resulting in multiple injuries and at least one fatality.

A female Chinese tourist in her 60s has died in the accident, Chalong Police confirmed to the Phuket Gazette.

A nurse at the scene said that at least 26 people were injured.

The bus overturned at about 8am off Patak Road westbound, near the upscale Mom Tri Villa Grand Cru.

On the road uphill from overturned bus was another bus – a double-decker tour bus with a Best Way Best Services logo – that had one “exploded” tire, an eyewitness told the Phuket Gazette.

“There have been many people taken to Bangkok Hospital Phuket, Phuket International Hospital and Vachira Phuket Hospital. I don’t know how many, but there are a lot of ambulances coming and going,” the eyewitness said.

Chalong Police and Chalong Fire Department are at the scene, where they are getting assistance from a number of other Phuket emergency rescue agencies.

“I just saw emergency workers pull a woman [from the overturned bus] who looked to be dead. They’ve got the ‘jaws of life’ here and it looks as though they’re cutting someone else out now,” he said.

The overturned bus is lying on its roof, pinned between two trees. The trees may have stopped the bus from rolling further downhill, he said.

A large electricity pylon was “broken in two” by the accident, he added.

At last report, the road between Chlaong and Kata remained closed, with traffic from both directions being turned back by police.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/detail.asp?id=11265

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-10-22

[grumpyoldman]

Traffic on Sai Yuan unbelievably busy this morning, cars backed to Lemon Gas trying to make the turn.

[saintofsilence]

Terrible news a lot people have had their completely ruined and sadly a death involved.

[KarenBravo]

We all know the speed at which tour buses travel. Why is that?

Could it be the pressure put on the drivers to be at a certain place at a certain time to maximize profits for the owners?

[LivinginKata]

I am still confused at this entire accident. After witnessing the accident scene first hand, and reading reports in both local news sources, I still can't figure out why the 2nd bus was way over the median line (had in fact knocked down all the centre line plastic posts) and would have been blocking oncoming traffic. Stories seem to imply that the other bus was trying to squeeze by the first bus causing it to fall over the edge of the road. Something is just not making sense here. You can see what I mean by looking at the photos of the 2nd bus in that other Phuket news source.

edit// story now changed/updated. The second bus was trying to get by the accident scene and broke down. So I guess the accident bus must have gone off the road all on it's own. confusing .. no ...

[KarenBravo]

It says at the "place that cannot be named", that the big bus disobeyed police instructions and tried to pass the accident scene, then, broke down.

Sounds implausible, too.

[webfact]

Road reopens after Phuket bus crash

Another Phuket bus heading in the opposite direction was scorched

and had a tyre explode when it struck a downed power cable.

Photo: Dean Noble

Phuket emergency workers try to clear the fallen power cables in order

to recover the overturned tour bus. Photo: Dean Noble

PHUKET: -- Police have reopened one traffic lane on a section of Patak Road where a Phuket tour bus overturned on the Chalong-Kata Hill earlier this morning, killing at least one person.

“They are allowing traffic to pass in one direction at a time to ease the tailbacks on the hill,” said one bystander.

“Emergency workers are trying to recover the vehicle now. They are trying to lift the power cables high enough in order to avoid cutting them so power can be restored as quickly as possible,” he said.

Capt Nitikorn Rawang of the Chalong Police told the Gazette that the overturned coach, operated by CNR Tour, was heading from Kata to Chalong.

Police believe a mechanical failure caused the accident, he said.

The injured driver of the bus was among the many people rushed to hospital, he added.

The other bus that remains stalled on the hill road had a rear tyre explode when one of the downed power cables struck the vehicle, leaving scorch marks on the wheel arch.

None of the passengers on that bus were injured, Capt Nitikorn said.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/archives/articles/2011/article11266.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2011-10-22

[LivinginKata]

It says at the "place that cannot be named", that the big bus disobeyed police instructions and tried to pass the accident scene, then, broke down.

Sounds implausible, too.

Yes, and have a close look at that 2nd photo of the rear left side of the bus. Something must have been on fire there about the rear wheels. Very strange.

edit// fast moving story. new PG article explains that flash burn. But why the hell was that bus on the wrong side of the road just at a high speed bend in the road. Very dangerous.

[chiang mai]

I think the suggestion is that the bus drove over the downed electrical cable which then started a fire.

[madmitch]

Certainly some conflicting stories between the 2 news sources. I hope true version of events comes out soon.

[LivinginKata]

Certainly some conflicting stories between the 2 news sources. I hope true version of events comes out soon.

Just confirms that old saying that you can't believe half of what's written in newspapers.

[ScubaBuddha]

I am still confused at this entire accident. After witnessing the accident scene first hand, and reading reports in both local news sources, I still can't figure out why the 2nd bus was way over the median line (had in fact knocked down all the centre line plastic posts) and would have been blocking oncoming traffic. Stories seem to imply that the other bus was trying to squeeze by the first bus causing it to fall over the edge of the road. Something is just not making sense here. You can see what I mean by looking at the photos of the 2nd bus in that other Phuket news source.

edit// story now changed/updated. The second bus was trying to get by the accident scene and broke down. So I guess the accident bus must have gone off the road all on it's own. confusing .. no ...

Yeah it's a weird one. Much more believable that the bus drove over the downed power line blowing the tire. That would explain the black marks on the side of the bus. I believe it was on the wrong side of the road because that is where traffic was diverted when they made it one way.

Indecently, the picture of the overturned bus shown in the article from the news source which cannot be named is from the March accident on Patong hill, not this one.

Here are some more pics I took when I passed by about an hour ago. The flipped bus, which looks much smaller than a typical tour bus, was resting against a tree about 10m from one of the Muay Thai Camps bungalows. Lots of blood on the walkways of the camp, which looked abandoned for the low season.

Edited October 22, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[Just1Voice]

Certainly some conflicting stories between the 2 news sources. I hope true version of events comes out soon.

You expect a TRUE version of something bad that happened in Thailand? What have YOU been smoking???

[LivinginKata]

It's amazing how quickly they can install a new electric post. I suppose it's because they get a lot of practice at replacing knocked down posts ...

[jimbeam1]

I would like to see a close up of the tyres on that bus? My money says that they are slicks.

jb1

[eddie61]

There is off course an easy solution to these problems of trucks and buses causing crashes.

In the UK, 20 years ago, it was mandatory to have tachographs in all PSV's and trucks. They monitored speed, driver rest times, and were signed by the driver, basically making him accountable for any infringements.

Nowadays, I am sure there are cheaper/better digital systems, including speed limiters, but I have no idea about these.

Several hundred lives a year would almost certainly be saved.

It would of course mean that the BIB would make a bit less and that the bus companies and truckers would have less opportunity for political sponsorship.

On second thoughts, it's not such a good idea!

[happysanook]

when these guys go around corners, they cut halfway into the other lane to make the turn 'easier' and shorten the trip...

dude snapped a telephone poll and broke through the barrier... going around a corner...christ, how fast was he going?

[LivinginKata]

when these guys go around corners, they cut halfway into the other lane to make the turn 'easier' and shorten the trip...

dude snapped a telephone poll and broke through the barrier... going around a corner...christ, how fast was he going?

He did not cut any corner, he fell off the road on his side of the bend. How fast could he be going up a steep hill in a bus. It was the weight of the bus rolling onto the post that caused it to break. Please get your facts straight before you make these sort of accusations.

[Robroy]

Can't say I'm shocked.

The last two tour buses I've taken in Phuket were driven by drivers who kept falling asleep at the wheel, at high speeds.

In both cases we had to station someone right behind the driver to wake him when he nodded off.

[jeanelie]

Best Way Best Services

[moggoid]

when these guys go around corners, they cut halfway into the other lane to make the turn 'easier' and shorten the trip...

dude snapped a telephone poll and broke through the barrier... going around a corner...christ, how fast was he going?

He did not cut any corner, he fell off the road on his side of the bend. How fast could he be going up a steep hill in a bus. It was the weight of the bus rolling onto the post that caused it to break. Please get your facts straight before you make these sort of accusations.

Facts? - There is no way you could slap a reinforced concrete telephone pole in half going up the hill and falling off, and twisting the heavy duty guard rail. The mini-tour bus must have been going down hill (east bound), lost control on the corner and rocketed over the hill.

[moggoid]

"The bus overturned at about 8am off Patak Road westbound" - is obviously a typo.....the bus was not, or could not have been westbound, but in fact going east - towards Chalong circle.

[moggoid]

The side of the road that the bus ended up on was the westbound side of the road.

[LivinginKata]

Facts? - There is no way you could slap a reinforced concrete telephone pole in half going up the hill and falling off, and twisting the heavy duty guard rail. The mini-tour bus must have been going down hill (east bound), lost control on the corner and rocketed over the hill.

You might be right. That would make much more sense. I wonder if the truth will ever be revealed. The first reports were the bus was squeezing by another broken down bus and fell off the road while going uphill, then it was the bus had some sort of mechanical failure and fell off the road. Let's wait for the next report. As I have previously posted this was a most unusual accident if the reports are to be believed.

[LivinginKata]

The side of the road that the bus ended up on was the westbound side of the road.

Yes, but not sure what that proves. One report I read stated that the bus was taking the passengers to Karon = going westbound. But then again another report stated that the bus had no passengers. ?????

[Ping]

The way I read it, the bus that went over the side was heading towards Chalong Circle, the other one was heading towards Karon (empty) to collect passengers.

[Willeyeam]

We all know the speed at which tour buses travel. Why is that?

Could it be the pressure put on the drivers to be at a certain place at a certain time to maximize profits for the owners?

I doubt it, they are more than likely just complete macho idiots, they seem to get some sort of "high" tailgating cars at 140! Just idiots, nothing more.

[LivinginKata]

My wife just watched a Thai TV report that the bus (40 seater, so not a mini bus) was going downhill towards Chalong and the brakes failed causing it to go through the barrier on the other side of the road, break the electric pole. Now that makes much much more sense to me.

edit// new reports from local sources confirm the crashed bus with the passengers was going eastbound to Chalong and the bigger bus was empty going westbound to Karon with no passenger. That bus was told not to continue as the road was blocked with the crash but he continued on over to the other side of the road to avoid the downed live power line and snagged the line causing damage to the bus and leaving it stranded on the wrong side of the road. Ok, now that all makes sense to what I saw on the road. Case closed for me.

[ScubaBuddha]

when these guys go around corners, they cut halfway into the other lane to make the turn 'easier' and shorten the trip...

dude snapped a telephone poll and broke through the barrier... going around a corner...christ, how fast was he going?

He did not cut any corner, he fell off the road on his side of the bend. How fast could he be going up a steep hill in a bus. It was the weight of the bus rolling onto the post that caused it to break. Please get your facts straight before you make these sort of accusations.

Facts? - There is no way you could slap a reinforced concrete telephone pole in half going up the hill and falling off, and twisting the heavy duty guard rail. The mini-tour bus must have been going down hill (east bound), lost control on the corner and rocketed over the hill.

A bus of any kind can snap a power pole just by slowly rolling into it, so it is possible. And that barrier is by no stretch of the imagination "heavy duty". It has been breached and re-built half assedly many times on that corner. I would say we get a car/truck/bus over that rail once or twice a year. I would never stay in one of those bungalows just below the road there.

[HOOD Robin]

We all know the speed at which tour buses travel. Why is that?

Could it be the pressure put on the drivers to be at a certain place at a certain time to maximize profits for the owners?

You hit the nail at the RIGHT place !!