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

[NoshowJones]

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 !

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

Only crime and punishment?

 

•  

[Chongalulu]

41 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

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.

It’s not an 'accident ' which implies misfortune. This guy knowingly and willingly drove his car drunk ,directly causing the death of people. No real difference to putting on a blindfold and randomly shooting a gun in the vicinity of people. The potential outcome in both cases was a credible and knowing reality,not a misfortune.

[4MyEgo]

1 minute ago, nchuckle said:

It’s not an 'accident ' which implies misfortune. This guy knowingly and willingly drove his car drunk ,directly causing the death of people. No real difference to putting on a blindfold and randomly shooting a gun in the vicinity of people. The potential outcome in both cases was a credible and knowing reality,not a misfortune.

Interesting point, no doubt arguable in a court of law with scores of people getting off because they were under the influence of this or that, happens everyday in the wonderful world of Oz unfortunately.

[moe666]

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 !

Reading a few of the commits here, you guys are still in the states and England. Remember Thais have a different way of looking at this stuff and 45 million is justice to them. The Thai sense of justice is similar to the Navajo Indian sense of justice in that when a person does something wrong there was something out of wack with their thinking and it affected their actions correct the problem of the persons energy and thinking and you have corrected the problem. There is not the sense of needing to extract a pound of flesh to obtain justice you can have justice in different as long as the person was truly remorseful which 45 million appears to be it as well as the guy didn'i run away he took responsibility. In the end all that matters is how the family feels about this.

[mike787]

Like everything in Thailand:  First the Wai (capture their attention)...then the BIG brown envelope$$$$ and it's all finished, business as usual.  Wheels of life move on in the Land of ME...

[toofarnorth]

2 hours ago, Bob12345 said:

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.

Absolutely agree !  I did think scotch free was a Freudian slip though.

[guenter]

3rd world countries (sorry developing countries) are always so sad, no justice, no not stopping it happening again... nope all about the money! RIP Jatuporn and wife.

[hotchilli]

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 !

In the land where everything is settled by cash out of court I doubt that very much.

Compensation is one thing, being prosecuted through the courts either by police or privately is another.

My bet is on him getting a fine & suspended jail term, but then what deterrent is a fine when you have the cash?

 

[lipflipper]

Yep once again the wheels of Justice get clogged up with Big Money from the offender. No jail time for what is basically first degree murder of two people. He was drunk, got into his Hi So MBZ and drove head on into another vehicle. I doubt he even feels genuine remorse as he probably feels that paying off the family is good enought.

Sent from my CMR-AL19 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[RichardColeman]

Remember that price next time you decide to drive home slightly tipsy from the bar

[Sydebolle]

In any civilized country the matter would be taken up by the public prosecutor - by law.

In Thailand the public prosecutor does either not exist or is out for lunch. Interesting is also, that the daughter defined the price tag of her parents at THB 45 million. 

Maybe the kiddo of Red Bull is interested to get a copy of the present price list for cops too. 

[khunPer]

15 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 can not bring the deceased victims back, but money in that level might compensate the children for after all having an acceptable education and life. But with logically thinking, it must be (much) better than the dropped legal actions, and the typical one million baht compensation for each of the parents – the Red Bull heir's family paid one million baht only – and some level of money in cover of the injured daughter. And the driver still face some serious charges for drunk and reckless driving.

[elgenon]

Did The Boss( son of Red Bull guy) ever pay for killing the cop? This guy was apparently not rich enough to not pay.

[dcnx]

Money #1

 

Forget that at your own peril.

[bogozy]

The best way of justice, is the compensation. The thai society ARE VERY SMART, and pragmatical. What is the advantage for the family of victim, if Mr Somchai would be sitting in the jail? 

He paid a reasonable compensation to the family. Let them to continue their life on an easier way.

Ok Mr. Somchai would be sentenced by the judge, for a 10 years of ban of driving a vehicle, on the public roads.

[Jane Dough]

15 hours ago, darksidedog said:

I wouldn't jump the gun too quickly. Yes, the cops have dropped the charges involving death, though the court will be informed. Courts here will assess offender regret and remorse, which given what he has freely lobbed over seems apparent.

However, he still has serious charges to face, and while again the court will consider the benefits and otherwise of a custodial sentence, I do believe that given the circumstances, and as a rebuke to others in his rich shoes who drive around pissed up, that they will give him at least some jail time.

The Red Bull "Boss" pissed off a lot of people with the ease in which he disappeared, an anger that may well rise its head if another Hi-So killing a cop just walks.

I do though freely admit that this will depend much on how much stress the judge is under regarding his kids school fees and the need for that new Mercedes, that is a better model than his neighbour.

This is a good analysis. 

 

My bet is jail time but a suspended sentence with plenty of community service may satisfy the public. They are Thai, after all, and understand the power of money, remorse and forgiveness as much as any society on earth.

 

Rooster

 

 

[sead]

And they are complaining why rich people are above all. Well as long as this is possible then  nothing will change 

[mrfill]

19 hours ago, moe666 said:

I think the justice was the 45 million bhat. He would have to be very rich for that amt not to hurt

That is nowhere near justice. That is trying to buy your way out of a long prison sentence. Justice does not come like a menu in a restaurant so you can't choose the 5 year sentence for 1m Bt or the 1 year sentence at 10m Bt. Justice has to be seen to be equal for all, not a bit easier because you have a pile of money.

What a vile society you want.

[geoffbezoz]

10 hours ago, leeneeds said:

Should never be allowed to hold a driving licence again, EVER!

Manslaughter 5 years, x 2 = 10 years, culpable killing by being drunk.

This is Thailand where lives mean little.

[meshborg]

Nobody forks out 45million unless they have a sporting chance of leniency.With the Thais record of corruption and rich people avoiding punishment it seems deal already done.

[natway09]

I certainly hope he remembered that still has to find 5 mil for the Magistrate

before 31 July

[Thingamabob]

9 hours ago, RobboR said:

Absolutely no chance . They have actual reporters still in civilised countries and cops who actually do their jobs.

The amount of people that attend an accident, especially if there is a death is immense.

If you believe that in the West the poor and the rich get equal treatment you're kidding yourself.

[Tomahawk21]

6 hours ago, justin case said:

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

having just received 45 million, i bet they would not have him back now even if they could thats what the Thais are like for money.

[RJRS1301]

2 minutes ago, Tomahawk21 said:

having just received 45 million, i bet they would not have him back now even if they could thats what the Thais are like for money.

That is a very cynical viewpoint

 

[sambum]

Basically the facts are that 45m baht gets homicide charges dropped.

 

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

 

What's the betting that the "restitution" keeps him out of jail?

[sambum]

39 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

If you believe that in the West the poor and the rich get equal treatment you're kidding yourself.

Yes, but nobody is above the law - even in the UK the Royals have been up at Court for traffic violations.

[Tomahawk21]

25 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

That is a very cynical viewpoint

 

agreed ! but i been here 20 years. i see money really is number 1, above anything else. its money , family, Buddha followed by the rest. tell me im not right.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Tomahawk21

[Lucius verus]

It could of been alot worse.

Most victims get little as the driver has no money so they settle for some gov compo.

45 million is a life changing event for the entire family.

No need to work ever again.

Just buy properties and live off the rent.

 

[Tomahawk21]

24 minutes ago, sambum said:

Yes, but nobody is above the law - even in the UK the Royals have been up at Court for traffic violations.

LoL the royals in the UK have been up to plenty over the years, things from lady Dianna to knowing about Jimmy Saviel and the rest of the kiddy fiddlers. Take a look on the internet and google 9th circle or look on youtube.

Edited July 2, 2019 by Tomahawk21

[Arkady]

Personally I don't view the crimes he committed as being any less serious than if they had been committed by someone with no money who would certainly have been given no bail and would get jail time. I don't see why he should be treated any differently, except that his fine in addition to jail time should be commensurate with his income and assets.