Phuket Big Buddha pickup truck flips in Karon, 8 injured

Phuket Gazette

The driver and his seven passengers were en route to the Big Buddha monument in Chalong when the accident occurred. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: Eight people were injured this morning when a pickup truck converted into a small bus flipped onto its side while descending Karon Hill.

Phuket City Police Capt Thada Sodarak told the Phuket Gazette that the accident occurred at about 10 am near the sharp “Sator Curve” while the vehicle was descending the hill heading towards Chalong Circle.

Officers arrived at the scene to find a white Isuzu pickup emblazoned with “Phuket Big Buddha Association” lying on its side.

“Not far from the vehicle we found the driver and seven passengers still on the road,” Capt Thada said.

“The pickup was heading from Karon to the Big Buddha [monument] in Chalong,” he added.

Police believe the driver lost control on the sharp curve because the road was slippery.

”The driver could not control the vehicle, and so it flipped over,” Capt Thada said.

All eight injured were taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

Police are questioning witnesses and collecting evidence to identify the exact cause of accident.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...ured-19558.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-26

The cause of the accident would be that the driver is an idiot.

Case closed.

Just no driver experience. No comprehension in use of gearbox to slow vehicle down, they just hit the brake pedal. See it all the time on Patak Road hills.

Just no driver experience. No comprehension in use of gearbox to slow vehicle down, they just hit the brake pedal. See it all the time on Patak Road hills.

Well, good it happened there. I can imagine what would happen with the same driver and the same circumstances going downhill from Big Buddha.

Doesn't look like much tread on the tyres either

Slippery roads, poor tires, inexperienced drivers, going too fast for conditions, no maintenance on vehicles= a whole lot of accidents that should have never happened.

Just no driver experience. No comprehension in use of gearbox to slow vehicle down, they just hit the brake pedal. See it all the time on Patak Road hills.

I used to live across from where this accident happened. I have seen lot of vehicles flipped on that stretch over the years. It's a downhill decreasing radius curve that most drivers take at full throttle. I once had an airport taxi overtake me on that blind curve. I was going the same direction as the Big Buddha truck and was turning right into my driveway across traffic. I had signaled early and crept over the line a bit to try to discourage him, but he did it anyway using both on-coming lanes to do so, narrowly avoiding a head on with a guy on a Harley who very nearly got forced into the ditch. These Thai drivers (and many farangs who have adopted the same driving habits) are absolutely insane. No fear of death or of killing/maiming people whatsoever. All about face and getting there as quick as possible.

No mention of where the injured are from or conditions. Another news source is reporting these were Burmese workers, which if taken to Vachira is likely.

Doesn't look like much tread on the tyres either

Should not use Slicks in the wet, But didnt have time for a pit-stop to fit the rain tyres ?

Inexperience and no driver education apart from top heavy by modifying a vehicle that was never meant to have weight distributed that way. Just another statistic in stupidity.