The Phuket Provicial Police Communication Centre was informed that a body had been found on the back seats of a bus parked behind a petrol station on Damrong Road in Talad Yai at 11am today (June 13).
Lt Col Somkit Ongchan from the Takua Thung Police together with Kusoldharm Foundation workers arrived at the scene to find Surat Nooklin, 52, dead on the back seats of the Phuket-Phatthalung bus operated by the Rung Rueng Tour Company.
An 18-year-old man who also worked on the bus, Danit Hattong, told officers that Mr Surat drove the bus from Phatthalung yesterday (June 12) and arrived in Phuket at 9pm.
“Mr Surat drank brandy until 10pm and then went to get some sleep at the back of the bus while I slept at the front,” he said.
“This morning, when it was almost time to go back to Phatthalung, I went to check that Mr Surat was almost ready to leave but I couldn’t wake him up. He wasn’t breathing,” he explained.
“I was in shock so I called a group of drivers to report the issue to police,” he added.
At this time officers believe that hot weather and alcohol may have caused Mr Surat’s death. However, his body has been taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for autopsy to confirm the exact cause of death.
Mr Surat’s relatives have been made aware of his passing.