Traffic on Phra Barami Road took a heart-stopping turn for the dramatic yesterday when a six-wheeled truck registered in Bangkok careered off the roadway and plunged into a roadside ditch just metres from Wat Suwannakhiriwong (better known locally as Wat Patong). The scene — at the notorious Pla Ra curve on the steep Patong Hill — looked like something from an action movie: dust clouds, a mangled front end, broken railings and two downed light poles. Thankfully, this story ends with a deep breath rather than a tragedy.
The descent that went wrong
The incident unfolded at about 11:10am on August 28. According to Patong Police, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Rapiphan Chumtham, the 38-year-old driver, identified only as Thanongsak from Kanchanaburi province, says his brakes failed while descending the steep stretch. Facing the terrifying prospect of smashing into other vehicles on the busy slope, he made a split-second decision: steer off the road and into the ditch.
“I couldn’t stop the truck,” Thanongsak told officers on scene. “I aimed for the ditch to avoid hitting other vehicles.” That quick thinking likely prevented a far worse outcome — no other vehicles were involved and miraculously, no injuries were reported.
Dashcam drama and roadside carnage
A passing motorist’s dashcam captured the whole thing: the truck veering wide at the Pla Ra curve, the sudden disappear-into-dust moment as it tumbled into the ditch, and the stunned reactions of nearby drivers. Footage like that is a stark reminder of both how fast things can go wrong on Patong Hill and how small acts of calm under pressure can avert disaster.
The truck’s front end suffered heavy damage and the vehicle took out sections of roadside railings and two light poles on impact. Pattong Police recorded the accident, assessed the scene, and confirmed that since there were no injuries and no other vehicles involved, no charges would be filed against the driver.
Why Patong Hill keeps biting heavy vehicles
Anyone who’s driven Patong Hill knows it’s an unforgiving stretch. The combination of steep gradients, tight curves — Pla Ra being especially notorious — and heavy traffic makes it a black spot for brake-related incidents. Rain, tourist-season congestion and occasional mechanical neglect all increase the risk. Local authorities have repeatedly urged commercial drivers to perform pre-journey brake checks, offload heavy loads when feasible, and consider alternative routes, especially in wet weather or during peak hours.
This latest scare is a textbook case in why those advisories matter. Proper maintenance, conservative speed and awareness can mean the difference between a close call and catastrophe.
Cleanup, repairs and a traffic sigh of relief
Emergency crews and police worked quickly to clear the wreckage and repair the damaged infrastructure. For a time the road was congested while crews removed the truck and made safety assessments, but traffic was restored to normal by mid-afternoon, according to local reports. The light poles and guardrails will need replacing, and authorities will likely inspect the hill for any further damage to the roadside that could endanger motorists.
What locals and drivers can learn from the incident
- Always test brakes before a steep descent — especially on heavily laden vehicles.
- Keep an escape plan in mind: when mechanical failure happens, steering away from other road users can save lives.
- When possible, use lower gears to help control speed on long downhill runs and reduce reliance on brakes alone.
- Report and avoid known black spots during peak times or bad weather.
Patong Police and local road safety officials are likely to use this crash as a reminder to beef up inspections and driver education campaigns for commercial vehicles that traverse Phuket’s intimidating hills. Until then, Patong Hill keeps its place on the “road to respect” list: respect the grade, respect your brakes, and respect the other drivers who share the serpentine descent.
In the age of dashcams and social media, close calls like this become teachable moments for everyone on the road. For this driver, a quick decision and a measure of luck kept what could have been a calamity to a single, dramatic headline — and another cautionary tale for Patong’s long list of steep, unforgiving curves.
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