Russian Tourists Injured As Phuket Tour Bus Slams Into Patong House

[webfact]

Russian tourists injured as Phuket tour bus slams into Patong house
Phuket Gazette

PHUKET: -- Five Russian tourists were injured when the brakes failed on a Pegas Touristik bus while the vehicle was descending the steep hill into Phuket’s premier resort town of Patong at about 6pm Tuesday evening.

The Bangkok-registered bus came to a thudding halt as it slammed into a house by the side of the road near Suwankiriwong Temple, known locally as Wat Patong.

“When I arrived the scene, there were five Russian tourists injured: three men and two women. They were transferred to Patong Hospital for treatment of minor injuries,” Patong Police Lt Col Jongserm Preecha told the Phuket Gazette.

“Thankfully there were no deaths in the accident,” he added.

Bus driver Puang Sangsrikaew, 68, told the police, “The brakes failed, so I swerved to avoid crashing into a car, but I could not avoid crashing into the house.”

The bus slammed into the home of Patong resident Thitiporn Kingko, 35, who escaped injury in the spectacular accident.

“Ms Thitiporn was upstairs when the bus entered her living room,” Col Jongserm explained.

Inspecting the damage to her home and grateful no one in her home was harmed by the impact, Mrs Thitiporn said, “This is the second time a vehicle has crashed into my house.”

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Russian-tourists-injured-as-Phuket-tour-bus-slams-into-Patong-house-21244.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-06-05

[pistachios]

Another Pegas bus, what a surprise

[LivinginKata]

Another Pegas bus, what a surprise

Hardly a surprise as almost half of the buses seem to be Pegas.

[animatic]

Knowing anything about Thai road usage and vehicle maintenance practices,

her choice of house/location makes it almost a forgone conclusion this will happen yet again to her house.

[stevenl]

Can't be a surprise brakes failed on a vehicle there, and can't be a surprise Pegas was involved.

[Payboy]

bus came to a thudding halt as it slammed into a house

Every bus in Thailand should be sold with a house or a concrete pillar, seeing as they're more effective than the brakes.

[Tywais]

"An officer of the Patong Police inspects the front of the bus from the living room of the house."

At least it is finally getting an inspection.

[Tywais]

Knowing anything about Thai road usage and vehicle maintenance practices,

her choice of house/location makes it almost a forgone conclusion this will happen yet again to her house.

Appears this is the 2nd time for her already.

[chooka]

How many times do we hear these stories over and over? The brakes fail, the wheels fall off or the steering fails. It goes on and on but nothing is ever done to rectify the problems. Oh well just wait for the next incident and will still be business as usual. Maintenance costs money and not worth spending it on tourist safety, if a few die then there is always another plane landing.

[Payboy]

Bus driver Puang Sangsrikaew, 68, said he swerved to avoid crashing into a car, but could not avoid crashing into the house.

He should get a medal for avoiding the car.

[Just1Voice]

Sheesh! Look at the photo of the driver! This guy looks he hasn't slept in days, and is barely conscious.

[stevenl]

Sheesh! Look at the photo of the driver! This guy looks he hasn't slept in days, and is barely conscious.

That was afaik not the driver, just a general photo.

[LivinginKata]

Sheesh! Look at the photo of the driver! This guy looks he hasn't slept in days, and is barely conscious.

That was afaik not the driver, just a general photo.

It's the photo published in the Gazette and it looks to me that the photo shows the bus buried in a building ...

[Soupdragon]

This could have been a lot worse.......

[pistachios]

Knowing anything about Thai road usage and vehicle maintenance practices,

her choice of house/location makes it almost a forgone conclusion this will happen yet again to her house.

Appears this is the 2nd time for her already.

I would have put massive steel pillars in front of my house after the first crash... Maybe she was waiting for the tunnel to be build.

[stevenl]

Sheesh! Look at the photo of the driver! This guy looks he hasn't slept in days, and is barely conscious.

That was afaik not the driver, just a general photo.

It's the photo published in the Gazette and it looks to me that the photo shows the bus buried in a building ...

You're right, just saw it as well.

[JulesMad]

[JetsetBkk]

Does he know about putting a bus in a low gear when going down a hill or, being 68, has he forgotten about it?

[chooka]

Bus Driver.jpg

Bus driver Puang Sangsrikaew, 68, said he swerved to avoid crashing into a car, but could not avoid crashing into the house.

He should get a medal for avoiding the car.

Didn't see him swerve for a car in the video, just seemed to be totally out of control.

[chooka]

This could have been a lot worse.......

what are they saying at 4.15? The 3rd time a bus has crashed into this house? I think it is time to pack up the goods and shackles and move.

[joeaverage]

that bus was cookin'.

[LivinginKata]

Didn't see him swerve for a car in the video, just seemed to be totally out of control.

Seems to me the old guy did really well to keep the bus on the road and down a side street. Nothing much he could do when he came to the sharp right bend. Amazing no-one was run over in that quite cul-de-sac. Could have been much much worse. And please note that the driver 'did not run away'

[Somtamnication]

All you nay sayers out there. The rush to the house was because the tourists were promised a massage at K. Titiporn's.

[fiddlehead]

Will the woman continue to live there?
I certainly wouldn't.
(and come back and warn any new tenants)

[Payboy]

Bus Driver.jpg

Bus driver Puang Sangsrikaew, 68, said he swerved to avoid crashing into a car, but could not avoid crashing into the house.

He should get a medal for avoiding the car.

Didn't see him swerve for a car in the video, just seemed to be totally out of control.

The car was going so fast, it was in the 4th dimension, that's why it's not in the video.

[DRONGOH]

where's the bloody anchor?

[NamKangMan]

Nothing new here.

Minimum outlay, for maximum profit.

Whilst the "influential people" on Phuket are being chauffeured around in their imported European cars, the tourists have this low level of safety and professionalism.

This old chap is probably just trying to earn 300 baht a day - but whoever put him behind the wheel, at the age of 68, I am sure is earning a lot more.

[Buckeye21]

Becoming a regular monthly renovation for this lady

[Rimmer]

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