Cop’s grieving family drops legal threat after drunk driver pays record Bt45m

[Bob12345]

11 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Still an obscene way to deal with matters when the Police case should come first and punishment handed down in a proper manner before any money changes hands.  This Guy will now walk out of Court with a fine when he should be doing at least five years behind bars.

 

I don't think this country will ever enter the real world when it comes to crime and punishment !

While I basically agree with you, try to also see the alternative in Thailand:

 

the guy gets a prison sentence of maybe 10 years, and needs to pay a fine of a few (hundred-) thousand baht. 

The daughter now has lost her parents and will be compensated with pocket money. The grandparents, or whoever will raise her, will not be able to give her a decent shot at life as the financial burden of raising an extra child without having extra income might be too much.

 

You could say that the fine then should be in the millions, but Thailand doesnt have a system where fines are based on income. 

What if Somchai drives drunk and kills someone? Will he need to pay 20 million baht also with his 300 baht a day income?

 

At least now the daughter will have a shot to have a quality education abroad, or a running start when she finishes school.

Of course it wont make up for losing your parents, but no amount of jail time or financial compensation will.

 

This way the guy pays a huge fine, and will still be seen as an A-hole by everybody he knows, lose a lot of business of people avoiding him, gets shunned by friends and relatives, and has to deal with killing people the rest of his life (most Thais are scared shitless of ghosts). I too would like him to see him spend time in jail, but at least he does not get away scotch free (like the red bull guy). 

 

I prefer him paying 45 million to the daughter over him paying 5 million to the judge to have the charges dropped.

[Ulic]

At least it was 45 million and not the usual 200,000-1,000,000 baht compensation.

[lust]

If I die here and my family gets 45million baht, I’d be ok with that justice.

[krystian]

12 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

But the reckless driving charge leading to a death will still result in a gaol term, yes?

reckless driving resulting to homicide or drunk driving resulting to man slaughter??

[rwill]

If would have been much cheaper to hire a full time Chauffeur.

[Alan Michael]

12 million pounds? Phew!

What if he had no money?

[Radar501]

Thailand's rich and powerful keep a card like this in their wallets.   Expensive, but worth every single baht.

 

Edited July 2, 2019 by Radar501

[Basil B]

Compensation should be a civil matter, and I doubt the equivalent to THB45 Mil paid out by an insurance company in the western world would have batted an eyelid.

 

I  do not know how serious the injuries to the daughter were and just how life changing they were but no doubt 45 mill will have bought her a very big family.

 

Obviously the bulk of the payout should have gone the daughter but does Thailand have a system of putting such payments in to a trust?

 

Compensation payouts should never stop the prosecution of criminal acts. 

Edited July 2, 2019 by Basil B

[Searat7]

3 hours ago, CALSinCM said:

The rich can buy their way out of criminal charges.  Jail is for the little people.

 

 

A settlement in a civil case should not affect the level of criminal charges brought against the defendant. A Thai doctor once told me that rich people don't go To jail in Thailand. So true !

[TheFishman1]

The guy will will not see the inside of a jail TIT

[remorhaz]

Okay well this is informative.  The current rate for killing a Thai cop is 45 million but a Russian tourist only nets 5,000 with a smiling cop bearing an oversized cheque.  Got it.  We honestly need a price list posted at the airport to know how we falangs stack up vs. our Thai betters broken down by sex, age, and profession but this is a start.

Edited July 2, 2019 by remorhaz
incorrect amount

[justin case]

other people's life is 50k baht but because its a cop the prise rise 1000x ?

[Shine 919]

Where is the Red Bull, case closed with a big brown envelope 

[Kawapete]

Another case showing in full public that Thailand is not a country of justice if you are wealthy enough or well connected 

[worgeordie]

Well i suppose the drunk driver has taken some responsibility 

while the other @rsehole who killed a cop,just did a runner,

taking no responsibility at all.45 million would have nothing

to him too.

regards worgeordie

Edited July 2, 2019 by worgeordie
add on

[Ctkong]

13 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Still an obscene way to deal with matters when the Police case should come first and punishment handed down in a proper manner before any money changes hands.  This Guy will now walk out of Court with a fine when he should be doing at least five years behind bars.

 

I don't think this country will ever enter the real world when it comes to crime and punishment !

That is why Thais worship money . In Thailand,  having enough money can make anything go away... and buy you face, social status and happiness indirectly....

[Ctkong]

5 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Well i suppose the drunk driver has taken some responsibility 

while the other @rsehole who killed a cop,just did a runner,

taking no responsibility at all.45 million would have nothing

to him too.

regards worgeordie

 Maybe enough compensation was made to affected parties behind the scene which we do not know about... 

[4MyEgo]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

Public prosecutor have now decided to drop the charges related to homicide.

 

Somchai has already pleaded guilty to the three remaining charges of speeding, drunk driving and reckless driving.

 

The court will deliver its verdict on July 31.

Homicide, well I a glad the prosecutor decided to drop that charge, because no doubt it would have been thrown out of court, as homicide from my interpretation means: the deliberate killing of a person, this was an accident so I fail to see the relevance to a homicide charge.

 

Pleading guilty to the remaining 3 charges, i.e. speeding, drunk driving and reckless driving, well that's just an everyday event on Thai roads isn't it, I suppose the fact that he drives a Benz and has compensated the deceased daughter, no doubt the court system here will go lightly on him, e.g. 500 baht for each charge and a wai. I only hope the daughter does get the 45 mil and no lawyer pees off with it, or the grandparents don't pee it up the wall.

 

Will be waiting for the verdict, don't know why, because I reckon it's pretty much what I have assumed.

[Ctkong]

21 minutes ago, justin case said:

other people's life is 50k baht but because its a cop the prise rise 1000x ?

More like loss of future earnings as well as how wealthy the guilty party is. Milk all you can . 

[PEE TEE]

Money talks B.S. walks 

[dallen52]

Sadness for the family loss. 

Not even in the line of duty. 

The thai obsession with monetary is just another sad blight on the LOS.

 

Never seem to see any mention of the actual government amount payable in these circumstances?

 

It always seems to fall back on the individuals concerned. 

 

*There would have to be some life insurance cover and the third party insurance component that is attached to vehicle accidents?

Just interested.

Or does that not get paid if the party involved coughs up a small fortune like this?

[BobBKK]

"Money, money, money must be funny in a rich man's world"  and to hell with all the poor people who cannot buy justice

[brucegoniners]

So you can buy your way out of a murder charge? He’ll just go do it again. Watch.

[Tomahawk21]

14 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Still an obscene way to deal with matters when the Police case should come first and punishment handed down in a proper manner before any money changes hands.  This Guy will now walk out of Court with a fine when he should be doing at least five years behind bars.

 

I don't think this country will ever enter the real world when it comes to crime and punishment !

money number 1 never met people like the Thais for money 

[atyclb]

friends that are recovered "now sober" alcoholics whose actions while drunk landed them prison terms have told me it was the best thing that could have happened because they had no choice but to be sober. once the brain cleared they were able to think normally and realize/regret all the damage they had done.

 

at least the compensation paid is real world though some might argue too much based on predicted earnings for given occupations

[atyclb]

14 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

and to hell with all the poor people who cannot buy justice

 

 

they can if they take out a loan

[davidst01]

bloody hell...45mill. crazy money to pay

[Tomahawk21]

51 minutes ago, justin case said:

other people's life is 50k baht but because its a cop the prise rise 1000x ?

i think its more of a case, the man driving the car was a very very wealthy man.

 

[BobBKK]

2 minutes ago, atyclb said:

friends that are recovered "now sober" alcoholics whose actions while drunk landed them prison terms have told me it was the best thing that could have happened because they had no choice but to be sober. once the brain cleared they were able to think normally and realize/regret all the damage they had done.

 

at least the compensation paid is real world though some might argue too much based on predicted earnings for given occupations

No one, ever, should be allowed to get charges dropped for financial compensation. The law should be above all, no matter class, money, gender or 'who you know'. The opposite is true here.

[Chongalulu]

11 hours ago, off road pat said:

Hmm,..Correct, but In the real world similar things happen as well, but in the background!!!

This one was almost in the open...now if this is a good or a bad thing is a very different and difficult question to answer.

If by real world you mean Western democracies,NO it wouldn’t,the criminal charges would be prosecuted irrespective of any financial settlement-the two are quite separate and in UK for example this guy would be on the thick end of the 14 years maximum for causing death by dangerous driving.