Another Chinese tour bus crash on notorious Patong Hill
A bus carrying Chinese tourists collided with a car and a motorcycle and then slammed into a barrier at the bottom of Patong Hill on the final turn before reaching the temple at the bottom.
Just before midnight on Tuesday night, Patong police received an accident report.
There were 35 tourists in the bus heading to Patong from Phuket Town. When emergency responders arrived to the scene, they found Chinese tourists climbing through emergency windows out of the bus.
Five were injured, including the motorcyclist and four tourists, but injuries were described as minor. An initial investigation by police indicated that the driver, Utain Kladnaka, claimed he had a problem with the brakes.
The bus also crashed into a car with Bangkok plates, causing damage.
The driver told the police that the brake failure happened as he turned at the curve just past the Sea Pearl Hotel on the way to Patong.
The driver was taken to the police station to be tested for alcohol consumption, while police contacted the Chinese Consul.
The road is notorious for accidents, with several serious crashes involving buses carrying Chinese tourists in recent months.