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In wake of tour bus crash, Phuket Governor orders safety overhaul on Patong Hill

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong today ordered the safety measures become a top priority. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- The Phuket Governor today ordered a raft of safety measures to prevent further devastating accidents on Patong Hill following the tour bus crash last night that wiped out one minivan and a slew of other vehicles, including a tuk-tuk carrying tourists.

 

So far the accident, which involved six vehicles, including a tour bus carrying 24 passengers, has not resulted in any fatalities, but has left dozens injured with two people still in hospital in serious condition. 

 

Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong and Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO) Chief Banyat Kantha inspected the scene of the accident on the notorious hill today (Aug 7).

 

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/in-wake-of-tour-bus-crash-phuket-governor-orders-safety-overhaul-on-patong-hill-63359.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-08-08

[Somtamnication]

Start with surprise inspections at the bus depots and check those breaks and break fluid. Then drug test the drivers. Then driving test once a  year.

Sorry, I am dreaming out loud. 

[tomwct]

I believe the Governor has been sleeping and/or ignoring the problem! Wake up and smell the coffee Idiot!

[ChrisY1]

Traffic issues are far too difficult for Thai administrations to solve..it needs people with functioning brains and IQ above 70.

I would doubt there is much evidence where traffic solutions by these people, have seen positive improvement..and not just Phuket, but nationwide.

 

Edited August 8, 2017 by ChrisY1

[edwinchester]

 

"In wake of tour bus crash, Phuket Govenor orders safety overhaul on Patong Hill"

 

Time to put this headline at the top of the clipboard as it keeps reappearing every couple of weeks.

[phuketrichard]

great idea, bus not safe for Patong so send them to the Karon/Kamala hills

[Soupdragon]

Safety overhaul 4.0.

 

Next upgrade to 5.0 coming soon.

[KarenBravo]

There's no fixing Stupid.........

[NCC1701A]

the bus drivers ride the brakes instead of down shifting.

 

and then when they really need them they fade.

 

I ride a 650 Kawasaki motorcycle all over Thailand but I was never as terrified as when I rode the bus from Surat Thani to Phuket with the bus driver speeding through the mountains. I could smell the brakes burning. People were praying as the bus was leaning over as we just made it through each sharp turn in the road.

 

The trip was scheduled for 6 hours and it took 6 hours. That means every day that bus must speed through the entire trip to stay on schedule.

Edited August 8, 2017 by NCC1701A

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, ChrisY1 said:

Traffic issues are far too difficult for Thai administrations to solve..it needs people with functioning brains and IQ above 70.

I would doubt there is much evidence where traffic solutions by these people, have seen positive improvement..and not just Phuket, but nationwide.

 

road design here is awful; and , amazingly, the newest manifestations are even worse !

[Coaster11]

Down shift to low gear at the top of the hill and apply exhaust brakes. 

If they use the foot brake to slow the bus they're going too fast.!

[Classic Ray]

Put a 24 hour police checkpoint at the top of the hill. Vehicles can be checked for illegals, documents, condition etc, so there is some earning potential for the staff, plus each bus must come to a halt before descending the hill, double-whammy win-win situation!

[madmitch]

1 hour ago, Classic Ray said:

Put a 24 hour police checkpoint at the top of the hill. Vehicles can be checked for illegals, documents, condition etc, so there is some earning potential for the staff, plus each bus must come to a halt before descending the hill, double-whammy win-win situation!

And have half of them roll down the hill backwards as they attempt hill starts? No chance. And if they fail they still have to descend the hill somehow.

 

A checkpoint at the bottom is a possibility.

 

It's a difficult one: ban big buses from Patong Hill and you get the same problems in Karon/Kata/Kamala.

 

Ban big buses altogether? Fantastic, but it ain't gonna happen. Yesterday one of the largest latex shop's car park was so full with the tour buses that the overflow was parking on Chaofa West. With even more Chinese forecast the situation is only going to get worse.

 

Let's face it: Phuket's roads are not suitable for large vehicles, whether buses or trucks, particularly those with double trailers.

 

 

[Psimbo]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

great idea, bus not safe for Patong so send them to the Karon/Kamala hills

Did you not see the bus in the ditch just outside Kalim last week? No matter which route these muppets can't drive worth toffee.

 

I followed a 'China Bus' from Kamala to Bang Tao this morning. Belching smoke, struggling to climb hills and swaying dangerously as the shocks were obviously kaput. All it does is shift the focus but not address the underlying problem of poor driving 'skills'.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Psimbo

[xylophone]

49 minutes ago, madmitch said:

And have half of them roll down the hill backwards as they attempt hill starts

Very true and happens with utes and the minibuses because of the drivers poor driving skills (term used loosely) and that's why I keep my distance from them when negotiating Patong hills.

 

50 minutes ago, madmitch said:

Let's face it: Phuket's roads are not suitable for large vehicles, whether buses or trucks, particularly those with double trailers

Especially large and poorly maintained vehicles driven by idiots!

[Ulic]

After thousands of accidents by busses on both sides of this hill what makes this one

so special to tie the Governors panties in a knot and order a complete overhaul in safety

on Patong Hill.

[phuketrichard]

thinking out of the box,

are many of these accidents  "arranged",  so when they bring up the vote to go ahead with the "Patong Tunnel"

it will pass?

[jenifer d]

10 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Traffic issues are far too difficult for Thai administrations to solve..it needs people with functioning brains and IQ above 70.

I would doubt there is much evidence where traffic solutions by these people, have seen positive improvement..and not just Phuket, but nationwide.

 

i really don't think it is appropriate to speak so pejoratively of Thai people...

 

[jenifer d]

4 hours ago, Ulic said:

After thousands of accidents by busses on both sides of this hill what makes this one

so special to tie the Governors panties in a knot and order a complete overhaul in safety

on Patong Hill.

actually, almost ALL of the accidents are in the one spot in Patong near the temple at the bottom of the steepest hill, the Phuket town side is not nearly so steep...

[Psimbo]

4 hours ago, phuketrichard said:

thinking out of the box,

are many of these accidents  "arranged",  so when they bring up the vote to go ahead with the "Patong Tunnel"

it will pass?

Anyone who  thinks the tunnel will  ever be built is smoking some serious weed.

[Psimbo]

2 hours ago, jenifer d said:

actually, almost ALL of the accidents are in the one spot in Patong near the temple at the bottom of the steepest hill, the Phuket town side is not nearly so steep...

WRONG- there are problems both sides of the hill- this one was half way down the Patong side

 

. They are not 'accidents' either- 99% are preventable with decent driving skills.

[George FmplesdaCosteedback]

9 hours ago, Psimbo said:

Did you not see the bus in the ditch just outside Kalim last week? No matter which route these muppets can't drive worth toffee.

 

I followed a 'China Bus' from Kamala to Bang Tao this morning. Belching smoke, struggling to climb hills and swaying dangerously as the shocks were obviously kaput. All it does is shift the focus but not address the underlying problem of poor driving 'skills'.

It's not just driving skills, but (as you point out) maintenance.

Nothing is checked here.

[Lokie]

Lack of driving competence, vehicle maintenance and application of road safety rules (there all in one line)

 

Note: I have never felt unsafe because of this hill - only the lunatics flying up/down and over it and in the rain it is quite an eye-opener as these loons do not make any account for road conditions either... 

 

PLTPO  

[Valentine]

Until the actual bus owners are held accountable, by hitting them hard in their pockets, nothing much will change. They need to be responsible for ensuring their drivers are properly trained & vehicles maintained to a good safety standard but therin lies the rub, what constitutes both of these as it could take years to come up with comprehensive measures knowing how the bureaucracy works.

[andreww]

looks like, after recent crashes on Patong hill, now buses must use Cherngtalay-Thalang-Monument-Bypass route.. and it's already a traffic nightmare, i was getting "stuck" behind 3-5 buses all day today. And it's bottom of the low season. Wonder what's gonna happen during high season.

[JetsetBkk]

Maybe fix the sign and add Chinese text:

 

[LivinginKata]

9 minutes ago, JetsetBkk said:

Maybe fix the sign and add Chinese text:

 

 

I took my visiting son and family up to big Buddha today. My son laughed as every sign said USE LOE GEAR ....  he had to photo it to show his bus driver mates back home.