The incident occurred at about 2:30pm outside Nawamin Plaza on Phuket Rd in Talad Yai.
Police and rescue workers arrived to find a crane operated by 69-year-old Prayoon Chumsri and a Phuket City Municipality open-top electric sightseeing bus driven by 69-year-old Thanakorn Charoensong-ek.
According to the initial investigation, the crane was parked while workers carried out operations in the area. As the municipality’s open-top EV bus passed the work site, the crane’s hook caught part of the fibreglass superstructure above the upper passenger deck.
The impact ripped away part of the fibreglass structure, which fell onto passengers aboard the bus. Debris from the incident also struck a motorcycle travelling nearby, police said.
The bus is one of the free open-top electric sightseeing buses introduced by Phuket City Municipality to provide free tours of Phuket Old Town for residents and visitors. The service was launched late last year as part of efforts to promote sustainable tourism in the historic district.
Four people were injured in the incident.
They were identified as Chollada Labsaeng, 23, a passenger on the bus; Shan Lu, 40, a Chinese national travelling on the bus; Muhammad Ruswan Saeleh, 22, the rider of a motorcycle registered in Yala; and Joseph Ballaran Bonghanoy, 40, a Filipino national who was riding as a passenger on the motorcycle.
All four were taken to hospital for treatment.
Pol Lt Bandita Thong-aun, Deputy Investigator at Phuket City Police Station, documented the scene and collected evidence as part of the investigation.
Police have not yet determined responsibility for the accident and said further inquiries will be conducted before any legal action is considered.