Aphitwat Phetsai, 19, a Patong hotel worker, died in this morning’s crash. Nine other people were injured when the bus with failed brakes headed downhill into Patong, sideswiping several cars and knocking motorbike riders flying around 7:40am.
The bus, from Air Bus Co, was carrying no passengers at the time. The driver of the bus, Thamanun Pinthongpan, was taken to Bangkok Hospital suffering from chest injuries and a broken left wrist.
Taxi driver Mr Anan told The Phuket News his taxi was rammed from behind.
“I was on my way from Phuket Town to Patong. There was a traffic jam and I came to a halt in the front of Wat Suwankiriwong [at the foot of the hill, on the Patong side].
“The first thing I knew was when I was slammed into from behind by a Toyota Vios.
“I looked in my rear view mirror and could see the road littered with cars and motorbikes that had been smashed by the bus as it came careering down on the hill.
“The bus kept coming, smashing into cars and bikes. There were bike riders lying all over the road. I could see many were injured.
“Finally, the bus hit the temple wall and stopped.”
He climbed out of his taxi.
“Two women were lying in the road near my car. They asked me to help; their faces were covered in blood. When the Kusondharm Foundation arrived I got them to give first aid to the women and take them to Patong hospital.
“It was very scary, absolutely horrible,” Mr Anan said.
Traffic on Patong Hill heading towards Phuket Town is now flowing relatively normally but there are major traffic jams in the other direction as police continue to clear up the wreckage.