Thailand drops charges in Red Bull heir case that stirred anger about impunity

[webfact]

Thailand drops charges in Red Bull heir case that stirred anger about impunity

By Panarat Thepgumpanat

 

File photo: NationThailand

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has dropped criminal charges against the heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune, who was accused in a 2012 hit-and-run killing of a police officer in a case that raised questions about crime and punishment for the well-connected.

 

Warrants for the arrest, including an Interpol red notice, of Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, whose whereabouts are not known, will be withdrawn, police said.

 

Vorayuth, grandson of the late Chaleo Yoovidhya, creator of the Krating Daeng, or Red Bull, energy drink, had faced charges of speeding, hit-and-run and reckless driving causing death, which had a statue of limitations until 2027.

 

"This case is over," deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told a news briefing.

 

"In June, we received a final order from the attorney general to not prosecute Vorayuth on charges of reckless driving and causing death," he said.

 

Vorayuth was accused of crashing his black Ferrari into policeman Wichien Klanprasert, who was on a motorcycle in Bangkok, and dragging his body for dozens of metres before fleeing the scene.

 

Vorayuth missed eight summonses to appear in court in connection with the case before authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, five years after the accident.

 

He later disappeared, apparently abroad, according to some social media posts.

 

Vorayuth's grandfather, Chaleo, was listed as the third richest person in Thailand at the time of his death in 2012, at the age of 88, with an estimated net worth of $5 billion, according to Forbes magazine.

 

Many Thais saw Vorayuth's treatment as lenient because of his family's wealth, stirring debate about impunity for the rich.

 

But Kissana dismissed any such suggestion on Friday.

 

"This is not a double standards," he said, adding that the case could be reopened if there was new evidence.

 

"We are saddened by the loss of a fellow police officer," he said.

 

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng. Writing by Orathai Sriring; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle, Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-24

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[mark131v]

Absolutely staggering contempt shown to the rule of law but entirely predictable, guess he got bored of waiting for people to forget...

 

Personally I stopped buying anything produces by his family when he murdered the copper and did a runner, about all you can do really.... 

[mark131v]

"This is not a double standards," 

 

Blimey just how stupid does he think the general population is?

 

Would have to be very, very stupid, wouldn't you???? I mean swallowing that crock of <deleted> you would need to have a negative iq or been dropped repeatedly on your head as a small child....<deleted> couldn't make it up....

[OneeyedJohn]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"This case is over," deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told a news briefing.

 

It is not how stupid he thinks the public are, it is more the arrogance of saying what he says.

[Misterwhisper]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"This is not a double standards," he said

Of course not. Who would even remotely want to insinuate that? Everybody knows that Thailand's legal system is way above deploying double standards of any nature -- as so many other cases in the past have proven.

 

But sarcasm aside, this is nothing short of scandalous. The people should demand an explanation from the attorney general why a major criminal case whose statute of limitations will only kick in SEVEN years hence has been shelved practically out of the blue and for what legally justified reason.

 

Shame on you, Thailand. Once again.   

 

   

[dwcrist]

This needs a protest like Floyd!

[alexth]

So, it’s official, murder is legal in Thailand! 

[Curt1591]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"This is not a double standards," [Kissana Phathanacharoen] said, ...

I wonder if he said that with a straight face ...

[Surelynot]

This case is over," deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told a news briefing.

 

And he's right......no one is going to do anything to reverse this decision........arrrggghhh

[YetAnother]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"This case is over," deputy police spokesman Kissana Phathanacharoen told a news briefing.

it is FAR from over; it shows thailand's true face to law and order to all people in thailand and all those watching in the rest of the world; it will be repeated in the news as a full-in-your-face example for years

Edited July 24, 2020 by YetAnother

[NanLaew]

8 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

it is FAR from over; it shows thailand's true face to law and order to all people in thailand and all those watching in the rest of the world; it will be repeated in the news as a full-in-your-face example for years

YetAnother who thinks the world watches Thailand.

[Don Mega]

Utterly disgusting how long it has taken for the charges to be dropped, clearly it was being strung out in anticipation of collecting a few more brown envelopes.

 

i'll raise a few Jager bombs tonight in celebration.

[Don Mega]

1 hour ago, alexth said:

So, it’s official, murder is legal in Thailand! 

Who was murdered ?

[Misterwhisper]

And coming week, Vorayuth will land at Suvarnabhumi on the same private jet with which he previously fled the country, receiving a warm welcome with great fanfare from family members and a long line of sycophants.

 

And the fact that his daddy, Chalerm Yuvidhya, a couple of months ago "donated" 300 million to "Team Thailand", set up to mitigate the economic fallout of the Covid crisis, surely aided the attorney general's decision a lot. For Chalerm, those 330 mill must have been little more than petty cash compared to what he probably also paid under the table to various other parties.

 

The whole situation is pretty disgusting from whichever angle one looks at it.

[Kadilo]

We need another thread

tomorrow to clear this up

[billd766]

IMHO the Attorney General should be sacked from his job for malfesance and failing in his job which was to ensure justice for the victims family.

 

16 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

And coming week, Vorayuth will land at Suvarnabhumi on the same private jet with which he previously fled the country, receiving a warm welcome with great fanfare from family members and a long line of sycophants.

 

And the fact that his daddy, Chalerm Yuvidhya, a couple of months ago "donated" 300 million to "Team Thailand", set up to mitigate the economic fallout of the Covid crisis, surely aided the attorney general's decision a lot. For Chalerm, those 330 mill must have been little more than petty cash compared to what he probably also paid under the table to various other parties.

 

The whole situation is pretty disgusting from whichever angle one looks at it.

 

And the fact that his daddy, Chalerm Yuvidhya, a couple of months ago "donated" 300 million to "Team Thailand", set up to mitigate the economic fallout of the Covid crisis, surely aided the attorney general's decision a lot.

 

Perhaps this is a comeback on his donation to the Covid fund.

[ripstanley]

26 minutes ago, Misterwhisper said:

And coming week, Vorayuth will land at Suvarnabhumi on the same private jet with which he previously fled the country, receiving a warm welcome with great fanfare from family members and a long line of sycophants.

 

And the fact that his daddy, Chalerm Yuvidhya, a couple of months ago "donated" 300 million to "Team Thailand", set up to mitigate the economic fallout of the Covid crisis, surely aided the attorney general's decision a lot. For Chalerm, those 330 mill must have been little more than petty cash compared to what he probably also paid under the table to various other parties.

 

The whole situation is pretty disgusting from whichever angle one looks at it.

Lets hope he has to do his 14 days in quarantine. Sorry I forgot his dad is above the law.

[Matzzon]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a 2012 hit-and-run killing of a police officer in a case that raised questions about crime and punishment for the well-connected.

Yes same, and there you have the answer. Everything is much the same.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Matzzon

[GinBoy2]

I'm actually surprised it took this long.

 

Any of us that have been in Thailand long enough know this is how it works.

 

A poor kid kid caught with a couple of yaba pills is destined to be banged up for the next 10 years.

 

But for the rich kid, kill a cop, try to blame it on the servant, then run away claiming illness, its par for the course.

 

Of course it's disgusting, but the Thai's seem to accept it, and nothing will change in our lifetime I'm afraid to say

[seajae]

well we all know graft and corruption are alive and well in thai politics, looks like the attorney general received his cake box early before christmas this year. The rich can kill who ever they like here and rape as well and its all swept under the carpet because of who they are and who they pay as we have all seen time and time again

 

Edited July 24, 2020 by seajae

[holy cow cm]

 

Just make me jealous I am not rich or have an Elite family. Bummer. 

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Victornoir said:

It was a road accident.
Certainly caused by a reckless and irresponsible driver, but there was no criminal intent.
Consequently, I fully approve of the decision to privilege compensation rather than a stay in prison.

It's not often we see people try to use reason or calm logic on here - everyone wants to scream how Thailand is third world, Thais are awful, corruption blah blah.  So I applaud you for that.  However I disagree with you.  Had he not been drunk and under the influence of drugs as has been reported then I would agree with you.  But for the above two reasons it was criminal negligence and he should face punishment.  Reckless endangerment, whatever you want to call it.  Causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink is a 14 year sentence in the UK and it should be here or anywhere.  And let's not forget it was a "hit and run" which is a criminal offence.

He had no intent to kill anyone and it was an accident, yes, but he was driving at a reckless speed whilst drunk and under the influence of drugs, therefore he should face prison.  Simple.  Compensation should be an addition to the jail time, not a replacement for it.

 

Edit:  I will also add that many people on here see me as a "Thai defender" merely because I speak up against blatant lies, slurs against Thais, or just general racist grumbles by sad and bitter old people who hate their life here.  However, in this case, I can't see any justification for it whatsoever and it should be an embarrassment to Thailand - it is certainly the most blatant and disgusting case of corruption and disregard for public opinion in my 25 years here, with the exception of a certain nightclub shooting back in 2001.
 

Edited July 24, 2020 by josephbloggs

[Soikhaonoiken]

Totally discussting, no doubt money has been talking, and the brown envelopes have been flowing. 

[Thailand]

Leave the boy alone he has suffered enough. Been a tough 8 years for him  on the run looking over his shoulderevery 5 minutes to see if the BIB are surveilling his 6 star hideaways.

[bignbad]

13 hours ago, NanLaew said:

YetAnother who thinks the world watches Thailand.

It was on the BBC news website yesterday!!

[Don Mega]

4 minutes ago, bignbad said:

It was on the BBC news website yesterday!!

And ?

[brucegoniners]

I'm so glad to hear they've rooted out corruption in Thailand...

[RJRS1301]

13 hours ago, YetAnother said:

it is FAR from over; it shows thailand's true face to law and order to all people in thailand and all those watching in the rest of the world; it will be repeated in the news as a full-in-your-face example for years

I doubt the "rest of the world" even gives a rats about the case.

I have spoken with several people, who are fairly well versed in matters worldly and criminal lawyers  I know in USA, UK and Australia, and none had any knowledge about the case when it occurred or the person absconding, so doubt this will even register anywhere, except some limited parts of Thailand.

 

[Chassa]

10 hours ago, GinBoy2 said:

A poor kid kid caught with a couple of yaba pills is destined to be banged up for the next 10 years

Kid got caught 3 times with yaba - got 1 year! That is true.

[zyphodb]

14 hours ago, alexth said:

So, it’s official, murder is legal in Thailand! 

Only if you're rich and connected...