The “invitation” came yesterday (Aug 8) in a formal announcement issued by the PLTO.
The announcement followed Phuket Governor Norraphat Plodthong ordering a raft of safety measures to prevent further devastating accidents on the steep hill road after personally inspecting the crash site with PLTO Chief Banyat Kantha on Monday (Aug 7). (See story here.)
“Many tour bus accidents on Phra Baramee Rd in Patong have caused damage to both life and property. Most of these tour buses (in accidents on Patong Hill) were registered outside Phuket,” PLTO Chief Banyat pointed out in the official notice yesterday.
“The PLTO is one of the government offices responsible for checking vehicles (for safety) in order to increase the level of prevention and decrease the number of accidents for brake failure.
“The PLTO is willing to provide brake-system tests so that tour buses are safe,” he added.
“The PLTO is asking for the cooperation from every tour bus owner and all tour bus drivers that are not registered in Phuket to have the brake systems on their tour buses checked,” Chief Banyat said.
The checks will be made at the PLTO offices on Rattanakosin 200 Pi Rd near Saphan Hin (see map below) from 8:30am to 4:30pm on Saturday, Aug 19.
Appointments are necessary and must be made by calling the PLTO at 076-220792, Chief Banyat noted.
The accident on Sunday night left two people, tour bus driver 65-year-old Prajuab Sirikul and motorbike driver Atsawadee Jesawa, 31, in serious condition in hospital. (See story here.)
The bus involved in the accident was registered in Nakhon Sri Thammarat.
The accident on Sunday followed two tragic tour bus crashes on Patong Hill claiming three lives in less than two weeks.
On the night of July 10, a tour bus crash killed a 10-year-old boy and his father, both Chinese tourists on holiday in Phuket. (See story here.)
That accident came less than two weeks after another runaway tour bus killed a 40-year-old woman who happened to be riding a motorbike on the street where all drivers of out-of-control “brake failure” buses aim to come to a rest, instead of slamming into a concrete wall beside the entrance to the street. (See story here.)
Together, the two accidents left nearly 50 people, mostly tourists, injured.