Death penalty for DUI: Businessman faces ultimate sanction for murder of cop/wife

[rooster59]

Death penalty for DUI: Businessman faces ultimate sanction for murder of cop/wife

 

Image: Daily News

 

A leading Bangkok businessman could be facing the death penalty after he was charged with murder in the DUI death of a top Crime Suppression Division policeman and his wife on Thursday night. 

 

And a top policeman has warned that the same fate awaits drink drivers nationwide who kill while drunk behind the wheel. Attempted murder charges will be made in non-fatal serious injury cases.

 

Pol Col Jatuporn Ngamsuwitchakun died at the scene at the wheel of his Suzuki Swift. His wife Nutchanat, 44, died in hospital. Their daughter Piyapha, 16, is seriously injured in hospital. 

 

They were involved in a collision with an E 250 Mercedes Benz driven by 57 year old Somchai Werotphiphat who is the high profile owner of a major automotive parts factory. 

 

 

He had been playing golf nearby and had consumed 4-5 bottles of beer before saying goodbye to his friends and driving home at around 11pm. 

 

He said he was so drunk that he remembered nothing until he was surrounded by airbags in his own crashed Benz.

 

Top brass police in the shape of Police General Wirachai Songmetta were at the Saladaeng police station yesterday.

 

Gen Wirachai said that this was not just a case of drink driving and negligence causing death. It fell under Article 288 and thus the suspect is being charged with intent to kill - murder. 

 

This could carry anything from 15 years to life imprisonment or even the death penalty, he said, adding: "What happens will be up to the court".

 

Somchai is being held in custody in Taling Chan in western Bangkok. 

 

Gen Wirachai said that the Thai police nationwide are set to charge anyone with murder who causes death while driving drunk. If people are injured in DUI cases drivers will face attempted murder charges instead.

 

Source: Daily News

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-04-13

[khwaibah]

Cap him now and be done. All his wealth to the 16 year old daughter.

[worgeordie]

"Could", I think we all know that will never happen.

regards Worgeordie

[Maverell]

My wife just told me about this and I explained that when DUI was a big problem in the UK friends were urged to take the car keys from people who were drunk and about to drive. She said 'oh thats a good idea but more people will be shot than die on the roads if they tried that here.'

 

I had to agree.

[darksidedog]

At long last the issue of drink driving seems to be being addressed. It is one of, if not the leading cause of death and serious injury here. I am sure it will take a little time to sink into the minds of some here, but once a few hundred have been given very lengthy sentences or the death penalty for killing someone when drunk driving, people will wake up and stop doing it. The annual toll on the roads will plummet. Should have been done long ago.

[NCC1701A]

Electric chair.

 

Next case.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

23 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

A leading Bangkok businessman could be facing the death penalty after he was charged with murder in the DUI death of a top Crime Suppression Division policeman and his wife on Thursday night. 

I will be interested to see the outcome of this one. Rich people always seem to get away with things like this. Red Bull "Boss" being a prime example.

[jackdd]

He should have known that to walk away after killing a police officer you need to be more wealthy and connected than he is.

Would the authorities consider the death penalty for "red bull boss"?

On the other hand, if he had killed a Burmese migrant worker, instead of a police officer, he would probably not even sit in jail now.

[alfalfa19]

"leading bangkok bunsinessman"      nuff said.

[ChrisY1]

25 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

Electric chair.

 

Next case.

Why waste the power....

[cornishcarlos]

I think by threatening a death penalty, they can increase the size of the envelope being presented... 

Do they have a different definition of murder here ? Surely it should be vehicular manslaughter !!

[MJKT2014]

 

52 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

had consumed 4-5 bottles of beer before saying goodbye to his friends and driving home at around 11pm. 

 

He said he was so drunk

 

From the photo Somchai already has his nose in the air and looking to walk..

[madmitch]

Talk about one extreme to another!

[bdenner]

He'll be given bail, his passport and told to find Boss (the Red Bull aire) and learn how to live the "life of Reilly" until the Statute of limitations has been reached!

[happy chappie]

So they made this new law overnight.if this is the case then they best start building a few dozen large prisons because there at least a few thousand deaths by drink driving/riding each year.

if this country's courts were anything like the uk then I would say the prisons would need to house 5 million people.take for instance fight with weapons.here maybe a couple of thousand baht fine.uk a couple or more years.upskirting 500baht,uk up to two years.murder maybe 10 years and paroled early because of the Kings birthday,uk 15 yrs to life.most crimes like domestic violence are not even looked at or it's 500-1,000b and of you go laddie. 

[neeray]

What's good for the goose should be good for the gander.

Hello Boss !

[Lungstib]

Where will this end? I feel sure Thailand has all the same laws as western countries for deaths in road accidents, they just dont apply them. Killing someone while driving drunk isn't murder and its not going to do a lot of good suggesting it is, there are enough laws at present being abused, misused and implemented to cause fear and convict adversaries and critics, we dont need more. What happens when some crazy, not drunk but just full of his/her own importance, overtakes on a corner and kills 3 in a head on collision? Is that murder or is he not so guilty because he's sober? 

Edited April 13, 2019 by Lungstib

[Skallywag]

12 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

if this is the case then they best start building a few dozen large prisons because there at least a few thousand deaths by drink driving/riding each year.

More like every month.  Prisons - dealing with the effects not the causes.  Death penalty to all DUI, then no need for prisons.   With all the ride services, taxis, tuk tuk, and motorbikes available, there is no excuse.

 

[Deli]

Same penalty for the Red Bull guy ?

 

[zaZa9]

Im surprised anyone was killed as the cabin of the car is quite intact.

No seatbelt used ?

[Jane Dough]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

Electric chair.

 

Next case.

I'm not sure that would work here. There may be a power cut.

 

Rooster

[NCC1701A]

it has been an hour.

 

has he left the country yet?

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

Death penalty for DUI: Businessman faces ultimate sanction for murder of cop/wife

I can't recall a death penalty being suggested for a killer (now called murderer) drink driver before.

While he may be a big businessman he is likely one of those who is not on the list of regular benefactors to the RTP thus he is deserving of the highest penalty.

Unlike some others we know who are generous patrons of the RTP Social Club who get little more than a slap on the wrist and sometimes even ignored completely. Regular donations could be seen as "insurance" against events such as this.

Then there are the extremes like that little charmer who shunted a van off an overpass and killed 9 people. She got 3 weeks work at a hospital and even then didn't turn up to fulfil her punishment. Can't tell me her parents didn't have good connections and parted with a lot of money to drag her out of the deep, deep poo she was in.

 

[nev]

0% alcohol is the only answer, The roads here are dangerous enough never mind having to also contend with drunk drivers too.

[Vacuum]

58 minutes ago, Skallywag said:

More like every month.  Prisons - dealing with the effects not the causes.  Death penalty to all DUI, then no need for prisons.   With all the ride services, taxis, tuk tuk, and motorbikes available, there is no excuse.

 

They probably have the same blood-alcohol level as you, what's the point using them?

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, Skallywag said:

More like every month.  Prisons - dealing with the effects not the causes.  Death penalty to all DUI, then no need for prisons.   With all the ride services, taxis, tuk tuk, and motorbikes available, there is no excuse.

 

Use a taxi when you have a new german taxi, sorry, overpriced executive limo???

[Formaleins]

It just makes a mockery of the law, any half witted lawyer would be able to get him off as it clearly is NOT murder under the law! I can understand the anger and the frustration but they will shoot themselves in the foot if they try to pin murder on drunk drivers. They need to get something that will hold up to the law and still carry a severe penalty.

 

It is obvious the drunken fool did not set out to kill anyone, so I cannot see how they can use murder as the charge. There must be something more fitting, death by reckless driving, accidental homicide?? There must be a charge that will fit the crime.

 

Of course this is only to be expected here anyway, as soon as something serious happens in they go like bull elephants, total knee jerk reaction, stir up a hornets nest, then two days later all is forgotten and everyone goes on their merry way. They just keep ending up with egg on their faces and looking like complete idiots.

 

Stand back, deep breath, think it through, carefully.

Edited April 13, 2019 by Formaleins

[dave moir]

2 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

I will be interested to see the outcome of this one. Rich people always seem to get away with things like this. Red Bull "Boss" being a prime example.

Exactly!

[johng50]

2 hours ago, ThreeEyedRaven said:

I will be interested to see the outcome of this one. Rich people always seem to get away with things like this. Red Bull "Boss" being a prime example

Hmmm looks like he ( red bull boss) will never be bought to justice, the months and years roll on, if they were serious in capturing him and bringing him back to face the music they could have got him at the australian F1 grand prix where he was seen dining with the japanese honda bosses. I suppose red bull management still handing out big big brown envelopes to keep him free, too many big name people would go down if he was ever bought to justice. probably even someone who loves watches is on top of the list somewhere. ( thats in my opinion ). If he was still on the interpol list, which it looks like he isnt, australian authorities would have nabbed him 3 weeks ago.

[Chongalulu]

2 hours ago, darksidedog said:

At long last the issue of drink driving seems to be being addressed. It is one of, if not the leading cause of death and serious injury here. I am sure it will take a little time to sink into the minds of some here, but once a few hundred have been given very lengthy sentences or the death penalty for killing someone when drunk driving, people will wake up and stop doing it. The annual toll on the roads will plummet. Should have been done long ago.

You imagine some posturing and hot air which will as usual peter out and be resurrected in a copy and paste scenario like Groundhog Day next year is addressing the situation? ...oh ,you said "seems"...that’s the key word here.