No one is above the law as Judge is fined, after Chiang Mai drink-driving crash

[webfact]

File photo for reference only

 

Drink driving in Thailand is a serious offence.

 

Up in Chiang Mai, the local court has fined a senior judge THB14,500 and suspended his driving licence for six months after he caused a collision while drink-driving. 

 

Apparently, video footage posted on social media clearly showed a car driving into a rescue operation car at an intersection in the Muang district of Chiang Mai.

 

Judge Charnsak Somprayot, who is a deputy chief justice of Region 5, has been charged with reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyser test, and failing to stop to help a damaged party.

 

The Chiang Mai Subdistrict Court found him guilty of violating the Land Traffic Act and originally fined the Judge THB29,500 for the drink-driving offence. 

 

However, the fine was then reduced by half after hearing Charnsak’s confession and the fact that the Judge paid financial compensation to the other party.

 

The case is still on going, as the Office of the Judiciary is still waiting for the full result of an investigation being carried out by the Office of the Chief Justice Region 5, before deciding what further action, if any, to take against Judge Charnsak. 

 

If desired, the judge can also lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling.

 

In Thailand, drink driving is a criminal offence that carries an obligatory driving disqualification of a minimum period of 12 months as laid out by the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 section 34(1).

 

Maybe the Judge’s appeal will get him off any disqualification.  The Office of the Judiciary has a difficult task of being fair without favouring people in high places.

 

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[Gottfrid]

It´s soo sad that they even consider that they have to write this as a big news article. But, on the other hand. A good way to say that we know corruption is rife, but we hug this single happening as something of magnitude.

[ezzra]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

has been charged with reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyser test, and failing to stop to help a damaged party.

so in other words, he took the law unto his hand by refusing to submit to the laws of the land he suppose to observe and rule on unto others.. Nice...

[DrJoy]

He may be poor, that's why fined.

[findlay13]

"has been charged with reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyser test, and failing to stop to help a damaged party."

Don't you know who I am?

"If desired, the judge can also lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling."

It's not over yet. 

[Tropicalevo]

"No one is above the law as Judge is fined,"

 

I think that Red Bull Boss, Deputy PM Prawit along with a few thousand others may contradict that statement.

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Office of the Judiciary has a difficult task of being fair without favouring people in high places.

Oh the poor dears..., life is just so stressful.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Judge Charnsak Somprayot, who is a deputy chief justice of Region 5, has been charged with reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyser test, and failing to stop to help a damaged party.

Only 14,500 baht and 6 months suspension... hardly a deterrent?

[Tropposurfer]

Setting a fine example for all lol ???????????? 

[DefaultName]

6 hours ago, findlay13 said:

"has been charged with reckless driving, refusing to submit to a breathalyser test, and failing to stop to help a damaged party."

Don't you know who I am?

"If desired, the judge can also lodge an appeal against the court’s ruling."

It's not over yet. 

He would do himself more good if he just admitted it and took his punishment.

[digger70]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

In Thailand, drink driving is a criminal offence that carries an obligatory driving disqualification of a minimum period of 12 months as laid out by the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 section 34(1).

Yea right . that only works If the cops are Working 24/7 and don't except Donations.

So far I haven't seen Any cops on the road that do Anything about Any Law that includes Drunk Driving.