Phuket

One dead, 21 hurt in bus crash

Published

18 years ago

March 10, 2001

One dead, 21 hurt in bus crash | The Thaiger

KAMALA: A guide from Bangkok-based tour company Mandarin Express was killed when the bus he was in crashed not far from the Thavorn Beach Village. Twenty-one other guides from the same company were injured in the accident, three of them seriously. The bus was taking the guides from Phuket FantaSea to Patong when the driver lost control after the brakes failed. One of the injured guides, 29-year-old Pairoj Wootthiworawong, from Yala, told the Gazette that he was sitting in the front left row with Densak Shae-Man, 40, and had just got off the phone with his wife when the bus went out of control. The guides had been discussing whether to go to the Horror House, and had been teasing each other about ghosts when the jovial atmosphere in the coach turned to terror. The bus hit and knocked down two power poles on the left side of the road before swerving across to the opposite side and plunging down a steep hillside. K. Pairoj said the bus began to roll and he and K. Densak fell out through a window. The bus rolled over the pair and continued down the hill. When he came to his senses – still clutching his mobile phone – K. Pairoj struggled back up the hill where he could see K. Densak lying face down. He shook him but K. Densak appeared to be unconscious, so K. Pairoj went to try to help the others. Later, he learned that K. Densak had died instantly from head injuries. “K. Densak’s head hit the glass between the passenger section and the driver. He didn’t know that the accident was going to happen, but I felt the driver trying to brake twice – and the bus did not slow down. “The last time the driver hit the brake, the bus was already out of control so I turned my back to the glass. As a result, my back and left leg were injured; I had to have 46 stitches.” Tavatchai Plernkajohnkiet, 42, manager of Mandarin Express, who was also hurt and ended up with 49 stitches, said, “I was standing when the accident happened. The driver was not driving fast because we were going down the hill. I noticed him trying to brake three times before the bus went out of control. “The bus rolled about 10 times before it stopped,” he added. The police officer in charge of the case was not available for comment but it is understood that the driver of the bus, who disappeared after the accident, is being sought. Officials of the bus company, Lohn Yan Yon Co, were also not available for comment.

Phuket

Motorbike driver smashes through glass window after accelerator malfunctions

Published

10 hours ago

March 22, 2019

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Motorbike driver smashes through glass window after accelerator malfunctions | The Thaiger

A female motorbike driver has sustained injuries after her motorbike’s hand grip malfunctioned and she collided with a glass wall.

Chalong Police were notified of the incident at an air conditioning shop at 6pm yesterday on Chao Fa West Road in Chalong.

Police and emergency responders arrived and found the shattered glass wall and a damaged motorbike.

The injured 40 year old Naowarat Jankarn had already been taken to Chalong Hospital. She sustained injuries from cuts from the broken glass. polls of blood were found on the floor.

Ms Naowarat told police that she had parked her motorbike in front of the shop since Wednesday . The motorbike was underivable because the hand grip accelerator was malfunctioning.

Yesterday she started the motorbike, claiming she had forgotten about the broken accelerator.

Phuket

Police hunting for driver who threatened others with a gun on Phuket road – VIDEO

Published

12 hours ago

March 22, 2019

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Police hunting for driver who threatened others with a gun on Phuket road – VIDEO | The Thaiger

PHOTO: Tiw Tiw

The Thalang Police are hunting for the driver who was threatening other motorists on Thepkrasattri Road by waving a gun around out of the driver’s window of his red sedan in Thalang this morning.

A Facebook user ‘Tiw Tiw’ has posted the video with a message reading “where are the police, please follow him. The incident happened this morning in Thalang.”

The video shows a car switching from one lane to another. The driver shows a gun in his car window and then appears to throw it out (at least he used his indicator).

The Thalang Police are investigating the incident and want to find the car driver for questioning.

Phang Nga

Phuket’s hotel and property players look north

Published

15 hours ago

March 22, 2019

Bill Barnett

Phuket’s hotel and property players look north | The Thaiger

by Bill Barnett of c9hotelworks.com

One of Greater Phuket’s real estate and hotel market’s that has a decided buzz of late is the area north of Phuket over the Sarasin bridge in Phang Nga.

In Natai Beach, the entry of the Baba Beach Club and nearby Akyra has created renewed visibility for the broad West Coast stretch of white sand beach, extending north beyond Phuket.

Two upscale hotels are in the development phase in the vicinity, with one being flagged to an international hotel operator.

Up at the 1,000 plus rai Thai Muang mega-project, movement is once again underway, as is a nearby massive Japanese-led mixed-use project including a golf course.

Land values are currently running amuck in the Koh Kloi area where the AOT (Airports of Thailand) has reportedly acquired land for an upcoming Phang Nga airport which will provide Phuket with a second gateway alternative.

Premium land transactions are taking place, with the most notable being the recent trade of the former oceanfront site in Bodan that was to be at various stages first a Raffles and later a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.

Looking at Phuket’s light-rail initiative, one knock-on effect will be the eventual linkage between the island and larger connection to a broader rail terminus in Koh Kloi. This will likely spur real estate speculators to acquire peripheral locations.

As Phang Nga’s West Coast four land highway expansion moves forward to Khao Lak and beyond, Phuket’s Northern neighbor is seeing a renewed push in its tourism, property and infrastructure.