Proposal to ban buses entirely from Phuket’s Patong Hill

[Lite Beer]

Proposal to ban buses entirely from Phuket’s Patong Hill
Wiparatana Nathalang

PHUKET: Banning buses from Patong Hill entirely, redirecting traffic through other parts of the island, straightening the road, and introducing motorcycle lanes and permanent checkpoints are some of the nine solutions proposed today (January 1) to combat the high rate of vehicle crashes on notorious Patong Hill.

This follows an announcement on Monday that officials are to consider a ban on large tour buses and trucks with 10 wheels or more travelling over Patong Hill during peak traffic hours, between 6 and 9am and 4 and 7pm, following Sunday’s fatal bus crash in which two people died.

At a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall this morning (January 1), Jaturong Kaewkasi from the Phuket Land Transport Department put nine new proposals up for discussion. They are:

All buses and trucks should be banned from going up Patong Hill

All buses and trucks should be banned from crossing Patong Hill during peak traffic times – 6am to 9am, and 4pm to 7pm.

Setting a maximum age for trucks and buses allowed on Phuket, to get old, unroadworthy vehicles off the roads.

Setting up a permanent checkpoint at the for of Patong Hill on the Patong side, which will be manned 24 hours a day.

Setting up a system to improve traffic flow on Patong Hill.

Introduce a motorcycles-only lane on the hill.

Improving the grip of the road by adding rubber stripes to the surface. The red colour of the strips would also act as a visual signal of danger ahead. This would likely happen between Sea Pearl Villas (at the top of the hill) and Wat Suwankiriwong.

Buses and trucks heading from Kathu to Patong would not be allowed to go over Patong Hill. They would have to go via Cherng Talay. However, buses and trucks coming from Patong to Kathu would still be allowed to go over Patong Hill. On many occasions trucks and buses have failed to make it up the hill from Kathu, some rolling backwards and crashing, others stalling and blocking traffic.

Imposing stricter drug checks on motorists, and imposing higher penalties.

Governor Maitree Intusut said, “These ideas are very good, but are under consideration. They are not finalised yet.”

Gov Maitree and officials from the Phuket Highways Department, Land Transport Office, police, engineers and municipality staff will attend a merit-making ceremony at Wat Suwankiriwong.

Afterwards they will discuss with Wat officials whether the Wat might donate land so that the bend can be straightened to make it less dangerous.

Traffic was brought to standstill around 3.30pm on Sunday afternoon, when a Natalie Tours bus came flying down the hill on the Patong side, taking out a slew of vehicles in its path.

It smashed into an electric power pole outside the Family Mart at the foot of the hill.

Found dead in the front of the bus was Phanthitha Jaruwat, 40, the bus tour guide.

Also killed was Kanrat Kajornjit, 55, who died instantly when the bus crushed his Toyota Vios.

Twenty-six were injured, including 15 Russian and 11 Thais. Eight vehicles were damaged.

From questioning witnesses, police said the bus picked up tourists in Phuket Town before heading to Patong. Early investigations seem to show malfunctioning air brakes are to blame for the crash.

– Additional reporting Eakkapop Thongtub

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/proposal-to-ban-buses-entirely-from-phuket%E2%80%99s-patong-hill-43766.php

-- Phuket News 2014-01-01

[Chamezz]

Should teach thai people to drive properly as well...

[bunny11kk]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

[bunny11kk]

Should teach thai people to drive properly as well...

Unfortunately, this is impossible!

[KarenBravo]

There are already motorcycle lanes on Patong hill in both directions.

[JoeThePoster]

They could just ban electric poles and family marts. Have the same effect on accident rates.

[LivinginKata]

Banning buses entirely - great idea, only trouble would be that they would come into Patong anyway and cause accidents on others narrower roads. How about stricter driver tests and driver education on use of the gearbox.

[phuketrichard]

none of these wil work.

Build the dam tunnel and make it required for trucks and bus's ONLY

[andreandre]

Banning buses entirely - great idea, only trouble would be that they would come into Patong anyway and cause accidents on others narrower roads. How about stricter driver tests and driver education on use of the gearbox.

How about stricter driver tests and driver education on use of the gearbox.

Thats it in a nutshell!!..nothing more needed..

The road in itself is not a problem..its the users of it that are.

[nedkellylives]

How many of the trucks and buses have a proper roadworthy check here

Very few if any in my opinion

[falangadang]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

Hope you didn't fork over the requested 10,000!

Let him charge you and have it dealt with in court at which time you could expose him for misconduct and bribery!

[steveyinasia]

That's it, instead a tackling the real issue of driver education and law enforcement, let's just ban stuff.

[andreandre]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

[LivinginKata]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

[bunny11kk]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

[stevenl]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

So if a Thai does not make it up the hill it is because lack of skill, but if a foreigner does not make it up the hill the road surface is bad?

[Peterphuket]

Banning buses entirely - great idea, only trouble would be that they would come into Patong anyway and cause accidents on others narrower roads. How about stricter driver tests and driver education on use of the gearbox.

How about stricter driver tests and driver education on use of the gearbox.

Thats it in a nutshell!!..nothing more needed..

The road in itself is not a problem..its the users of it that are.

So, better make a tunnel, and banned all trafic from the hill, it's the best solutition.

[Peterphuket]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

So if a Thai does not make it up the hill it is because lack of skill, but if a foreigner does not make it up the hill the road surface is bad?

And yes, the roadsurface is very smooth, so far, not to mention when it is wet, it is terrible. Have you ever been there with your own car?

[andreandre]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

No ones saying anything about you ''making the story up"..

There has to be other contributing factors, which you seem reticent to disclose .....thats all it is.

[LivinginKata]

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

I just gave my personal experience, I never implied you made up a story. It's possible there were contributing factors in your case - very wet road, spilled oil. My comment was about me seeing few problems driving up the slopes, other than heavy vehicles stalling out (poor driver control). On the other hand I see many problems on the down slope, bikes sliding on oil, vehicles driving too fast, no doubt the road surface condition plays a factor. The discussion/news is about heavy vehicles losing control on the down slope.

[Ulic]

Yes build the tunnel but that will take years. Trucks and busses should be inspected properly every 3 months

to be licenced to go over Patong Hill. If a buss has an accident due to mechanical failure the bus owner, driver,

and inspectors who signed of on the buss should held equally responsible.

[MMarlow]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

Yes, we are. It's pure nonsense what you are claiming unless the road was coated with oil or something similar.

[KarenBravo]

That's it, instead a tackling the real issue of driver education and law enforcement, let's just ban stuff.

......and then don't enforce the ban.

Problem solved, face saved all round.

[eezergood]

That's it, instead a tackling the real issue of driver education and law enforcement, let's just ban stuff.

......and then don't enforce the ban.

Problem solved, face saved all round.

we have it here in a nut shell, enforcement! Actually enforce what they decide & have strict penalties not a THB50 fine of some such other nonsense

[bunny11kk]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

Yes, we are. It's pure nonsense what you are claiming unless the road was coated with oil or something similar.

Nonsense your ass! Was I supposed to check what's on the surface of the road right after the accidence?

[andreandre]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car.

A bit more info needed here...why was the grip of the road so bad just for your car?..oil, ice, mud, bald tyres..there had to be some sort of contributing factor

Thousands and thousands of vehicles transit this road year in year out and i honestly have never heard of this "bad grip" phenomenon before....

I agree. I have transited Patong/Kathu hill thousands of times and I can't ever remember a car 'with no grip' and rolling backwards. Sure heavy vehicles roll back but that is because they lack the power to climb the hill in a low gear, stall, and start rolling back. Really nothing to do with road surface when going uphill.

Why you people has to get so personal? Are you saying that I made this story up? It was not only my car having that problem the other day. Now I drive my Audi 4 wheel drive and I don't have problem climbing up the road too.

Yes, we are. It's pure nonsense what you are claiming unless the road was coated with oil or something similar.

Nonsense your ass! Was I supposed to check what's on the surface of the road right after the accidence?

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I

Surely if this was the case as you posted, when you got out of your car after rolling back into another car, caused by a serious road problem, the first thing you would be looking for would be the cause of this incident...surely...

[movsrus]

I once drove a Honda Jazz up Patong Hill but the grip of the road was so bad that the car rolled back and hit another car. I was taken to the Police station at Kathu afterward. A police officer asked to pay him 10000 baht or he would charge me drunk and drive. It was in the morning and I got up not long ago. This is our Thai police!!!!!!!

Hope you didn't fork over the requested 10,000!

Let him charge you and have it dealt with in court at which time you could expose him for misconduct and bribery!

You could always say "sure, I'll give you 10,000 baht but I want a photo of you taking the money from me and a signed receipt for the bribe." Then pull out your phone and take his photo anyway and you can be sure he will back away and forget the whole thing.

[KarenBravo]

If the grip of the road was so bad, how come cars are able to go over it?

If on that day it was only your car that rolled back, then logic dictates it must have something to do with your car.

[eezergood]

I was overtaken by 2 mini busses just at the 2nd to last bend yesterday, around 2pm ish, in full view of the police. They both, estimate only, overtook me at about 50kmh full on the wrong side of the road - the police did nothing.

[jimihendrix]

The only way to drive in thailand is to be overtly and proactively defensive, at lower than accustomed speeds, with maximum concentration, and most importantly assume that ALL other drivers are NOT doing this.