Bus Traveling From Phuket To Narathiwat Crashes In Phang Nga

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Bus traveling from Phuket to Narathiwat crashes in Phang Nga

Phuket Gazette

The school directors were returning from a "field trip" to Phuket when their coach overturned in Phang Nga. Photo: Kritsada Meuanhawong

Some of the thirty-five educators injured in the latest bus crash in Phang Nga. Photo: Kritsada Meuanhawong

PHUKET: -- A tour bus full of school directors from Narathiwat province overturned in Phang Nga late this morning, causing numerous injuries, but fortunately no deaths.

The tour bus was en route to Krabi when the accident occurred on a sharp curve known locally as "Chong Kub Ta Yu", located on the road from Lo Yung to Tha Yu in Takua Thung district.

Takua Tung district police were informed that the bus had overshot the curve and overturned at 11am.

Together with rescue workers and medical staff from Takua Thung and Phang Nga hospitals, they found a purple-and-white, double-decker tour bus on its side on the median strip.

The bus, with Songkhla license plates, bore the name "Bona Tour".

A total of 35 people were injured, but only one was listed as being in a serious condition: 57-year-old Aubdulrornueng Hareemoa, director of Baan Galae School in Yee Ngor District, Narathiwat.

Rescue workers listed 10 other people as suffering "medium" injuries and 24 with minor injuries; all were sent to Takua Thung and Phang Nga hospitals for treatment.

An initial police investigation revealed that the bus was driven by a man named "Mr Seng", surname unknown.

The bus, returning from a "field trip" in Phuket, was part of a convoy that included one other coach and two vans. Each bus carried 45 people and each van 15 passengers, all school directors and education officials. Those in the other vehicles continued the journey back to Narathiwat today.

The cause of the crash was given as "unfamiliarity with the road". The coach was travelling at such a speed that it slid for 20 meters after overturning.

Police officers are continuing their investigation into the cause of the accident.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ticle16416.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-07-13

[JetsetBkk]

"The cause of the crash was given as "unfamiliarity with the road". The coach was travelling at such a speed that it slid for 20 meters after overturning."

Why do they make excuses for bad driving?

I suppose if they didn't there would be no one left to drive these buses.

[NomadJoe]

With all the differences between the way things are done back home vs the way they are done here, this has to be the one with the greatest contrast. The way in which these buses are operated here is 180 degrees from back home where safety is at times probably stressed too much, vs here where there is no concern for safety whatsoever, particularly in the manner in which these buses are driven.

[pistachios]

Interesting concept of a school trip without students.

[maprao]

The cause of the crash was given as "unfamiliarity with the road".

I am currently somewhere where driving is 100 times worse than Thailand. When I went there on vacation a couple of months back I felt like I was driving in the UK!

[hansgruber]

Snapped this as it happen just in front of us. Scary stuff and was driving like a mad man.

[Boater]

They really need to set speed limits to all the buses here , max speed 80 kmh , as with the west .. Plus seatbelts .. 2 very easy steps which will save countless lives and crashes

[LivinginKata]

They really need to set speed limits to all the buses here , max speed 80 kmh , as with the west .. Plus seatbelts .. 2 very easy steps which will save countless lives and crashes

I am just back from a drive holiday in mid Thailand. The inter city buses always drive in the outside lane as fast as they can go. Never move into the inside lane. Only way to pass is on the inside lane. Just crazy. No surprise that there are so many bus accidents.