Runaway Wheel From Phuket Tour Bus Narrowly Misses Policeman

[webfact]

Runaway wheel from Phuket tour bus narrowly misses policeman

Phuket Gazette

Sgt Sayumphu points to where the wheel busted loose. Photo: Thawit Bilabdullar

PHUKET: -- A wheel that had come off a Phuket tour bus raced off on its own down Thepkrasattri Road yesterday morning, narrowly missing a policeman in its path.

The bus, displaying a Pegas sign in its front window, had picked up 32 passengers at Phuket Airport and was heading towards a hotel in Kata when it lost a rear wheel near the U-turn in Srisoonthorn at about 8:15am.

Luckily, Thalang Traffic Police officer Sen Sgt Maj Sayumphu Nhucharoen saw it coming.

“I was on duty at the U-turn and I saw a wheel coming right at me at high speed. I managed to jump out of the way in time, but it hit my motorcycle which was parked by the road,” he said.

After hitting the motorbike, the wheel continued at high speed across the street and hit and damaged the wall at Hang Krajok Tungnam Co Ltd, a construction supply store.

The bus driver, Manas Worasiri, 50, was charged with reckless driving by using an improperly maintained vehicle, and fined 600 baht.

“The bus is always checked as required. I do not know why this accident happened,” Mr Manas told police.

None of the passengers were injured, and by the time police arrived on the scene, they had all been picked up by another bus.

The only injury was to the wall at Hang Krajok Tungman, and a representative said that it is covered by insurance.

“The case is closed,” said Thalang Police Officer Niphon Temsang.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...eman-20096.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2013-01-31

[LivinginKata]

Lucky no-one was killed. Pegas bus - again.

[uptheos]

The bus driver, Manas Worasiri, 50, was charged with reckless driving by using an improperly maintained vehicle, and fined 600 baht.

Wow!! Bet he'll be more careful in the future.

[huuwi]

it say's pegas, but the color looks more like the J'taime buses for the chines tours.

anyway, good luck for the bib that he saw it coming

[edwinchester]

Is it just my phones pic resolution or is there a distinct lack of tread on the remaining tyres?

Got to love the pointing at the missing wheel too!:-)

[LivinginKata]

Is it just my phones pic resolution or is there a distinct lack of tread on the remaining tyres?

Got to love the pointing at the missing wheel too!:-)

Looks the same on screen. Not much tread. You have to wonder how the inner wheel stayed on as there appears to be not one securing nut.

[renrut salohcin]

The bus driver, Manas Worasiri, 50, was charged with reckless driving by using an improperly maintained vehicle, and fined 600 baht.

Wow!! Bet he'll be more careful in the future.

600 baht is a sizeable amount out of a bus driver's basic wage.

[britpop]

The policeman is pointing to the wheel that fell off, look closely at the condition of the other tire behind it, it's as bald as baby's bum, 600 baht fine, what a joke!!!!, I've noticed the last time i went for my cars MOT inspection it was harder to pass, i guess this doesn't apply to buses carrying 10's of passengers.

[Songhua]

Caption competition need for that photo.

'There used to be a wheel here, now there isn't'

[steelepulse]

>>The bus is always checked as required. I do not know why this accident happened.

Sure it was! I'd like to see the precheck routine that is required by the various bus and transport companies before the driver takes the vehicle on the road. If it's anything like the tuk tuk drivers I see in Karon on a daily basis, it means making sure the whisky and sodas have a nice dark tint to them.

[afr490872]

Pegas of course is a Russian travel company. Russian tourism -related problems happen more and more often.

[JulesMad]

something very strange:

"None of the passengers were injured, and by the time police arrived on the scene, they had all been picked up by another bus."

and

"Luckily, Thalang Traffic Police officer Sen Sgt Maj Sayumphu Nhucharoen saw it coming. “I was on duty at the U-turn and I saw a wheel coming right at me at high speed. I managed to jump out of the way in time, but it hit my motorcycle which was parked by the road,” he said."

This makes me think that the police was already there, right at the scene......

Food for Thought or TIT?!?

[Felt 35]

something very strange:

"None of the passengers were injured, and by the time police arrived on the scene, they had all been picked up by another bus."

and

"Luckily, Thalang Traffic Police officer Sen Sgt Maj Sayumphu Nhucharoen saw it coming. “I was on duty at the U-turn and I saw a wheel coming right at me at high speed. I managed to jump out of the way in time, but it hit my motorcycle which was parked by the road,” he said."

This makes me think that the police was already there, right at the scene......

Food for Thought or TIT?!?

Traffic Police officer is the front troop and always there on weekdays 0700am.Cavalry comes in pick up when needed.

[JetsetBkk]

something very strange:

"None of the passengers were injured, and by the time police arrived on the scene, they had all been picked up by another bus."

and

"Luckily, Thalang Traffic Police officer Sen Sgt Maj Sayumphu Nhucharoen saw it coming. “I was on duty at the U-turn and I saw a wheel coming right at me at high speed. I managed to jump out of the way in time, but it hit my motorcycle which was parked by the road,” he said."

This makes me think that the police was already there, right at the scene......

Food for Thought or TIT?!?

Ah, I see you are, in fact, JulesMad. Well done, living up to your name.

[chuenyongman]

To livinginKata.

There are only one set of wheel nuts to hold the two wheels on one axle The wheels are reversed to each other on the rear.

[LivinginKata]

To livinginKata.

There are only one set of wheel nuts to hold the two wheels on one axle The wheels are reversed to each other on the rear.

Yes, looks like the inside wheel is way out from the studs. All 8 nuts came off

[JeffreyMcCollum]

With what they charge for the bus service you think they could afford a little maintenance on the bus, or does the Bus repair mafia charge 10 times to much for bus repairs in Phuket ?

[axact]

Pegas of course is a Russian travel company. Russian tourism -related problems happen more and more often.

Don't tell the Phuket Taxi association this or they will be picketing the local depot....Russians blatently taking tourists away from their Taxi association drivers !

[noob7]

Lucky no-one was killed. Pegas bus - again.

But first a very unusual Pegas Bus (they are white, usually)

Maybe they had to take, whoever wanted to drive for them?

Looks a bit like, less Pegas signs on the road, these days.

But the other russian company, with the orange name sign (on white buses) gets more and more, methinks

[blackthorn2005]

B600, a trifle compared to what Kathu police rip tourists off, for minor offences every day. I am sure more was paid for the 'damage' to the police officer's bike.

The only checks these drivers carry out before a journey is to ensure they have sufficient alcohol!