Following the accident, police confirmed that at least 17 tourists had been taken to hospital, along with the driver, 40-year-old Jeerasak Kimbuathong from Krabi, for treatment of injuries, though no description of how serious the injuries were was given.
The bus stopped after slamming into a power pole in the sidestreet beside Patong temple. The concrete power pole was broken into two by the force of the impact. (See story here)
However, a doctor from Patong Hospital later confirmed that Mr Jeerasak actually passed away whilst being transferred to the hospital. A number of passengers initially taken to the hospital had since been discharged.
Capt Yingyong Chuykit from Kathu Police said that the tour bus was returning 18 Chinese tourists to their hotel in Patong when the accident happened.
According to some of the passengers, the driver told them to move toward to the back of the bus when he discovered the brakes had failed. He managed to control the bus part-way down the hill but finally lost control causing it to crash into the pylon.