35 Tourists, 2 Thais, Hurt As Tour Bus Overturns

[george]

Israeli tourists hurt as tour bus overturns

PHUKET: -- At least 35 Israeli tourists and two Thais were injured when a tour bus overturned on a local road on its way from Patong beach to downtown Phuket yesterday. Pol Col Thirapol Thipcharoen, chief of Kathu district police station, said the air-conditioned tour bus owned by Thanong Travel Co in Patong turned over on the Kathu-Patong road near Wat Suwankhiriwong at 5.45pm yesterday, causing injuries to the driver, his assistant and between 35 and 37 Israeli tourists.

Of the injured, 22 were sent to Patong Hospital, five to Siriroj Hospital and eight to Krungthep Phuket Hospital.

Initial investigations by police found that the bus driver lost control of the steering wheel on the slippery road during wet weather.

--Bangkok Post 2005-12-30

[Gumballl]

Initial investigations by police found that the bus driver lost control of the steering wheel on the slippery road during wet weather.

Loosing control of any vehicle is usually the precursor to an accident. Awesome detective work on the behalf of these police.

I wonder if the driver will be found to be at fault, for perhaps driving fast under the conditions, or will they simply blame the tourists (i.e. accident would not happen if tourists not there).

I think too much emphasis by bus companies is placed on maintaining their time schedules, such that safety is often overlooked. Until liability is an issue in LOS (and other 3rd world countries), things will continue to be the same, whether it be with a bus, a boat, taxi, etc.

[Phuket Post]

Patong tour bus terror for Israeli day-trippers

BUS ROLLS ON SLIPPERY HILL ROAD

by By Gategaeo Phetsawang

38 Israeli tourists saw their tropical holiday turn to terror yesterday when their tour bus rolled over as it climbed Patong Hill, leaving 22 injured. 17 were admitted to hospital overnight, including three with serious injuries and one still in intensive care today. The bus, owned by Thanong Ltd of Patong and contracted by the Israelis’ tour company, Asian Trails, was returning to Duangjitt Resort after a day-trip to Phang Nga. As it attempted the perilous climb from Kathu, at around 5.45pm, unseasonable rain swept over the hillside. The light shower, after several days of dry weather, turned the twisting three-lane highway into a slick strip of tarmac upon which the bus slipped as it neared the top of the steepest bend, the driver told police.

Sawat Khamkong, a freelance tour guide on board the bus at the time, told Phuket Post, “The bus driver was driving carefully up the hill, but the road was too slippery. As the bus went out of control the driver tried to bring it back under control, and not let it slip into the other lane. Then the bus turned over.”

Bangkok Phuket Hospital treated three passengers for serious injuries, one with broken bones in his hands, one with internal bleeding and broken hand bones and one with a broken shoulder. The hospital also admitted one passenger with a heart condition to its Intensive Care Unit.

The accident brought traffic to a halt in and out of Patong and created long tailbacks around much of the southwest of the island, as rush hour drivers sort other routes in and out of the beach town. It was almost 11pm before a crane could be brought in to move the bus and the congestion was relieved.

“The bus driver was charged with driving carelessly and causing people to be injured,” said Pol Col Thirapol Thipcharoen, Superintendent of Kathu District Police Station. “The investigation will continue once we have checked the roadworthiness of the bus.”

The accident was the first major test for the Phuket Road Accident Prevention and Operation Centre – specifically established to cope with the increasing accident toll on the island over the holiday season. Officer Damri Sangsab of the centre said that the injured passengers were immediately transferred to Patong Hospital, Phuket International Hospital and Bangkok Phuket Hospital and 17 passengers in total were admitted to stay overnight at the hospitals.

Many of the Israelis – all aged between 40 and 65 – are due to return home tomorrow and are spending the rest of their stay safely at their resort. Those still in hospital will remain in Phuket until it is convenient for them to travel.

http://phuket-post.com/article.php?id=120

[Scott]

I hope they will all be OK. Best of luck to them.

It sounds like maybe some type of material needs to be on the road to allow for more traction.

[phuketsiam]

That road up Patong hill is a nightmare in the dry!

[ratcatcher]

At least there was a driver that could be charged although one can't help feel a tinge of sympathy for the poor sods as their bosses insist on tight schedules.

At leastl he didn't flee the scene as is common in most instances.