PHUKET- A tour bus and a pickup truck collided in Muang district early on Friday injuring two men, but all 22 Chinese tourists escaped unhurt.
The crash occurred near the entrance of a road leading to Wat Luang Pu Supha in tambon Chalong around 4.30am, Thai media reported.
A police officer inspects the damaged pickup truck involved in an accident with a tour bus in tambon Chalong of Phuket's Muang district early on Friday. (Photo taken from Chalong sub-district municipal member Supawatkun Amnuay Khunnalack Facebook page)
Police and rescue workers called to the scene found a damaged tour bus with a Bangkok licence plate parked in the centre of the road. A badly damaged pickup with a Phuket licence plate was parked nearby on the side of the road.
Two injured men were trapped in the cabin of the truck. They were extricated and taken to a nearby hospital.
Bus driver Natthapol Pochiew, 36, said he was taking 22 Chinese tourists from Phuket airport to Karon Hill hotel in tambon Karon. The bus was hit by the pickup truck, which was heading to downtown Phuket.
He claimed the pickup truck suddenly shifted into his lane, and he was unable to avoid the crash. Fortunately, none of his passengers were injured, he said.
However, the driver of the pickup truck, whose name was not given, accused the bus driver of moving across into his lane.
Police said they would examine surveillance camera footage before deciding who would be held to blame.