Phuket bus loses power, slams into car and shop on steep hill
Police investigate collision after vehicle rolls into shopfront
A passenger bus on a steep Phuket road lost power and rolled backwards, crashing into parked vehicles and a shop, causing damage and minor injuries.
The incident occurred around 12.30pm today, November 12, at the Tom Yum Kung intersection on Khok Tonod–Rawai Road. According to Karon Police, the EV passenger bus, travelling the Airport–Rawai route and bearing the registration number 10-1209 Phuket, was ascending a hill when it reportedly lost power and rolled backwards out of control.
The driver, 57 year old Pakin Chanplad, was unable to regain control of the vehicle. The bus collided with a parked car behind it and then struck another vehicle parked in front of a massage parlour’s office. The impact pushed the second car into the building’s front, causing structural damage.
While no fatalities were reported, two female passengers aboard the bus sustained minor injuries. They were promptly transported to Chalong Hospital for treatment.
Officers from Karon Police Station and emergency responders arrived quickly at the scene. They cordoned off the area and began inspecting the site for evidence. Investigators interviewed witnesses and took photographs as part of their routine procedure.
Officers believe the vehicle’s loss of power while climbing the incline triggered the sequence of events. Officers have not yet confirmed whether mechanical failure or driver error was the root cause.
Officials confirmed that the building sustained visible damage from the vehicle’s impact, though it remains structurally sound. The parked cars also suffered significant damage, The Phuket News reported.
Karon Police said they will continue the investigation and inspect the bus’s mechanical condition. Further interviews with the driver and bus company representatives are expected in the coming days. Damage claims are also being assessed.
The incident has prompted fresh concern about the safety of electric vehicles on hilly terrain and has drawn attention to the need for stricter vehicle maintenance checks, especially for public transport operating on steep routes around the island.
Police urged drivers navigating Phuket’s hilly roads to take extra caution, especially during power fluctuations or adverse weather.
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