Phuket Tour Buses in Bust-Up as Drivers Fail to Give Way
PHUKET: Who gave way when the bus carrying 29 Chinese tourists from the Aphrodite Cabaret confronted the bus carrying 26 Chinese tourists from Patong to the Boat Lagoon last night?
Nobody. The buses nudged each other and came to a paint-scraping halt in Phuket City about 10.30pm.
The tourist passengers on board had plenty of time to wave at each other then shake hands and say ''How's your trip going?''
Overhanging the median strip, the buses brought traffic to a halt, then a crawl in Phra-Phuket-Keaw Road, not far from the Tesco Lotus intersection in Phuket City.
''One bus was doing a u-turn from the rear of the Aphrodite show,'' a policeman told Phuketwan.
''The other bus was coming from Patong and intended to turn left into the bypass road to head for the Boat Lagoon.
''Because there were cars and motorcycles also going past, the driver says he could not give way.''
And so the pair of buses came to a crunching halt.
J-Siam Holiday Phuket driver Chtuichai Wisawakamjorn,54, coming from Patong, maintained that he was doing the right thing.
''The other guy was making a turn and should have given way,'' he said.
Taili Co Ltd driver Songkord Keawsri, 51, coming from Aphrodite, said he had plenty of time for the u-turn and was doing the right thing.
''Ther other guy was going too fast and should have given way,'' he said.
There were no injuries. Along with the buses, a little Phuket pride was dented.