Aunt, Niece Die In Phuket Tour Bus Hit-And-Run

[Lite Beer]

Aunt, niece die in Phuket tour bus ‘hit-and-run’

Phuket Gazette –

Police believe the bus dragged the women and motorbike for at least 500 meters before it came to a stop. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

Both women died at the scene. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: A tour bus driver fled the scene after the bus he was driving struck two women riding a motorbike in the northbound lane of Thepkrasattri Road yesterday afternoon.

The two women who died in the accident were identified by Thalang Police as Jaroonrat Waree, 35, and Nadlada Waree, 17.

“The motorbike rider and passenger were dragged by the bus at least 500 meters before it came to a stop north of Mud Dok Khao junction [the main turnoff toward Nai Yang Beach],” said Sub Lt Chatree Chuwichian.

Police are still searching for the driver, he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2012/Aunt-niece-die-in-Phuket-tour-bus-hit-and-run-19453.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-15

[LivinginKata]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

[Payboy]

Its time the bus companies were penalized for the sickos they hire.

[scorecard]

Its time the bus companies were penalized for the sickos they hire.

School buses also.

[uptheos]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

Hopefully they have some ID for the driver, if not the BIB should clean their clock!!

[petedk]

Shocking story and very sad to read about it.

It's not so unlike the Red Bull heir case but I'm sure the driver of the bus, if found, will be punished harder than the Red Bull heir.

[pagallim]

Pegas is a Russian tour company, solely servicing the Russian market for holiday destinations where visas for Russian nationals are granted on arrival (such as Thailand).

http://pegast.ru

As with their Chinese counterparts, their vacations are inclusive of various tours (souvenirs/latex/spas etc etc), hence the reason for the large numbers of these monster buses criss crossing the island, often using way too small sois as 'rat runs'.

RIP to the two ladies, a tragedy that sadly I'm fairly certain will be repeated again and again.

Edited November 15, 2012 by pagallim

[timewilltell]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

They employ Thai males.

[julemanden]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

Yabaa pilots

[Tanaka]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

They employ Thai males.

Unfortunately those are the only ones allowed to drive buses here according to law. Hence the large number of "accidents" caused by busdrivers.

[oops]

First I want to say I am sorry for the family of this child who wasn't a women yet, and her Aunt. RIP

It will never stop until the tour bus owners are held accountable. If you allow them to say things like WHAT? it wasn't me who was driving...it allows them to keep hiring idiots to drive.

If we hold the tour bus owners accountable for the crime they will start enforcing driving regulations and better driving courses for the bus drivers...also making them pay more than the 20,000 baht to the dead women's family.

With that said, and on another note. The tour buses that get police escorts and race down the roads at high speeds because of the police escort are also part of the problem

They begin to think they are immune to any responsibility. Not to mention the size of these buses in a congested area makes no since at all but then one coming at you at speeds 120km is no joy either.

[pagallim]

Just as an aside, I emailed this PG article to the email contact of Pegas in Russia, to try and make some awareness there also. As this is a 'foreign' company, they must have much more licence to introduce acceptable standards of competency of their employees.

[vijer]

Well as sad as it is, I would not be all too surprised to find that the motorcyclist was at fault. My wife says that doesn't matter, you have a bigger vehicle so you are at fault. Most days I want to intentionally run them over, no sense the lot of them.

[fire and ice]

Shocking - 500m before the driver stopped. Then he ran away. What type of people do these bus companies employ

FYI: Usually they run away to avoid getting the living sh&% beaten out of them at the scene. Unlikely they expect NOT to be be identified and later found. Rather they want to avoid revenge in the heat of the moment.

Having said this, there are no doubt plenty of times when drivers who cause an accident really are trying to simply run away to avoid any responsibility at all as opposed to merely avoiding the immediate reprisals

[dartvidar]

They should make a new Law, only farang with European or American bus driving license are allowed to drive busses in thailand. This will prevent many road accidents every year. In my country you have to attend hell lot of trainings to be allowed to drive a bus, and you need to attend a refresh trainings ( 1 week ) every 5 year.

[webfact]

'Hit-and-run' driver still at large

Phuket Gazette

Police are still waiting for the driver of the bus, who fled the scene, to turn himself in. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- Phuket police have identified, but not caught, the bus driver who fled the scene after his bus struck a motorbike on Thepkrasattri Road and killed two women on Wednesday.

“We contacted the driver’s employer, allowing us to identify the suspect,” Thalang Police Sub Lt Chatree Chuwichian told the Phuket Gazette this morning.

“We are waiting for them to contact the driver, and to have him surrender himself to police. Otherwise, we will have to issue an arrest warrant for him,” he said.

Police plan to charge the man for negligent driving resulting in death.

Sub Lt Chatree did not specify to the Gazette how long police would give the suspect to turn himself in.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...arge-19482.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-17

[LivinginKata]

I hope the police charge this driver to the full extent and he spends a lot of years in prison.

[Banzai99]

They should make a new Law, only farang with European or American bus driving license are allowed to drive busses in thailand. This will prevent many road accidents every year. In my country you have to attend hell lot of trainings to be allowed to drive a bus, and you need to attend a refresh trainings ( 1 week ) every 5 year.

I don't know about that, nearly every Farang I know in Thailand who drinks, Drinks and Drives on a regular basis, and are you telling me that Farangs in Thailand stick to the speed limits, open your eyes.

An average of 40,000 people are killed on US roads every year, I very much doubt there are many Thai drivers among the carnage, so it would appear we should not want to employ Americans to drive either.

[Jdietz]

FYI: Usually they run away to avoid getting the living sh&% beaten out of them at the scene. Unlikely they expect NOT to be be identified and later found. Rather they want to avoid revenge in the heat of the moment.

Also, he will need a few days until all traces of meth and booze are out of his system, before meekly turning himself in with nothing to show for.

[NamKangMan]

FYI: Usually they run away to avoid getting the living sh&% beaten out of them at the scene. Unlikely they expect NOT to be be identified and later found. Rather they want to avoid revenge in the heat of the moment.

Also, he will need a few days until all traces of meth and booze are out of his system, before meekly turning himself in with nothing to show for.

Also, the few days between the accident, and him turning himself in, allows himself, and his family, to raise the cash to have the accident blamed on rain, potholes, the brakes, the sun, the moon etc etc. Maybe even organise a few paid witnesses to shift blame to the motorbike rider.

500 metres without stopping. Look at the windscreen damage. What reasonable person woud react like this???

[marstons]

standard practice of bus drivers,lorry drivers etc. Do a runner then hand themselves in when all the illegal substances are out their system.

[Gerryasia]

The hiways and biways of Thailand are a deathtrap, bar none.

[meatboy]

what no passengers on the bus to stop him leaving the scene,another day in the land of smiles.

r i p young ladies.

[starkey_rich]

He will probably claim it was a misunderstanding that seems to be to the new get out of jail card here or was it raining and the brakes failed?

[transam]

Just yesterday l was on a two lane road in the sticks cruising quite safely at about 80/100kph. A double decker bus came up behind, and stuck on my tail, probably 2 meters from my bumper for miles. I wanted to stop and punch the guy. He had a full bus load.

[LivinginKata]

Just yesterday l was on a two lane road in the sticks cruising quite safely at about 80/100kph. A double decker bus came up behind, and stuck on my tail, probably 2 meters from my bumper for miles. I wanted to stop and punch the guy. He had a full bus load.

Easy solution, slow down and let him pass. That's what I do with tailgaters ...