Phang Nga –
A tour bus caught on fire in Phang Nga following a crash after a driver dumped tourists on a roadside in Phuket and drove away leading police for a chase of over 70 kilometers.
The Tha Chatchai Police told the Phuket Express that on Saturday (January 6th) they were notified from a tour company in Phuket that a bus driver left tourists for apparently no reason at a shop in Kathu, Phuket. He also allegedly attacked a company staffer who tried to stop him from speeding away with the bus. This led to police being called to pursue the bus.
The bus was heading to the north of Phuket and had recently exited the Phuket Checkpoint into the Thai Mueang district in Phang Nga.
The Tha Chatchai Police followed the bus and the bus crashed into a power pole on the roadside in the Old Market, catching fire. Firefighters were called to the scene to put out the fire.
The driver, who was not injured, tried to run away but failed and was finally arrested. He was speaking in circles and as of press time is being tested for illegal drugs.
His name was not released to the Thai press. It’s unclear why he dumped off the tourists and what started the altercation.
