A Phuket tour bus that had been on its way to pick up nurses and other staff at Patong Hospital has slammed into a power pole on Patong Hill. The bus, which was empty apart from the driver, was one of 3 vehicles chartered to take Patong Hospital staff to Khao Lak, according to a Phuket News report.
The driver of one of the other buses, named as Mr Pan, has blamed brake failure for the incident, in which the bus ploughed into a power pole while travelling down the hill into Patong early this morning. The accident happened on the last curve on Phra Baramee Road at around 5.00am.
Rescue workers from the Kusodharm Foundation, as well as Patong police officers, arrived at the scene to find the Phiphairat Tour bus had come to a stop by a concrete wall. The bus had narrowly avoided crashing into the wall, having felled a power pole and taken out a nearby government CCTV camera. The vehicle was badly damaged, with the driver’s door torn off in the incident.
The 37 year old driver, named as Prayoon Nayao, is understood to have sustained serious leg injuries. He was given emergency treatment at the scene, before being rushed to Patong Hospital.
Meanwhile, his fellow bus driver, Mr Pan, believes the accident was the result of brake failure as the bus was coming down the hill. Mr Pan says the same bus has been involved in previous accidents, adding that it was fortunate the vehicle was not carrying passengers at the time.
Patong Police have launched an investigation into the incident.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
