Tour bus operator drives his bus into roadside ditch; blames Google Maps for leading him into it

Screenshot: Sattahip News
Screenshot: Sattahip News

An empty tour bus fell into a drainage ditch on the side of the road in Chonburi province last night due to “bad directions from Google Maps,” claimed the driver of the bus.

Tragul Boonmak said that he drove right into the ditch after following Google GPS navigation, which instructed him to make a left on Sukhumvit Road, T News reported.

According to Tragul, he did not see the ditch because of how dark it had gotten in the area.

Fortunately, Tragul wasn’t injured, and his bus was empty of passengers since he had just dropped off a tour group and their guide in Pattaya. He was on his way to drop off their bags at the Renaissance Hotel, where they were staying, when the incident occurred.

The vehicle — the property of Khunanan Transport Co. Ltd. — was consequently stuck in the ditch, which prompted the driver to call the police for assistance.  

According to Tragul, it had been a doomed day at work for him: Earlier in the morning, the timing belt in his bus had broken, which caused him to arrive several hours late in picking up the tour group. He said that the group was, to put it mildly, pretty pissed.

Following the second incident that left their baggage stuck in a ditch, Tragul said the tour group canceled his service and requested a different bus.

“I’ve been unlucky all day, man,” Tragul told Sattahip News.

For those who don’t speak Thai — Tragul’s surname literally means “many blessings.” Bit of irony for you there.

Hopefully, next time, Google won’t tell this man to drive into any more mishaps.



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