Mercedes-Benz, tuk-tuk crushed in Phuket landslide

PHUKET: A Mercedes-Benz, a tuk-tuk and four other vehicles were crushed in a Phuket landslide after a deluge of rain saturated a Patong construction site early this morning.

“There were six vehicles parked at the site, as it is close to the owners’ homes. When the land below a retaining wall gave way, part of the wall collapsed,” said Wisit Methasunthornwat, head of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) Patong office.

“Fortunately, no one was hurt. We are now working on removing the dirt and remnants of the wall.”

The vehicles crushed by the earth and cement wall on Soi Nanai, about 200 meters from 50 Pi Road, included a Mercedes-Benz, a tuk-tuk, a Honda City, a pick-up truck, a rescue worker truck and a motorcycle, Mr Wisit said.

Patong Municipality officers were dispatched to the construction site this morning to investigate whether or not the landowner had permission to build on the site, Patong Municipality Chief Administrative Officer (Palad) Poonsak Naksenaare told the Phuket Gazette.

“If the owners do not have permission, we will report them to the police,” Mr Poonsak said.

Mr Wisit added that anyone can report a landslide to 076-342 600.

Last week, construction was halted at a Patong construction site after locals voiced their concerns over possible landslides during the annual southwest monsoon season (story here).

— Chutharat Plerin