Thai police take corporal who killed "Dr Kratai" at zebra crossing to face prosecutors on NINE charges

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai Rath reported that yesterday the chief of the Phayathai police Pol Col Borwonphop Sunthornrekha took lance corporal Norawich Buadok to meet with prosecutors at the central office in Ratchadaphisek.

 

Norawich was riding a Ducati Monster motorcycle when he was involved in a collision that killed opthalmologist Dr Kratai who was traversing a zebra crossing outside a kidney institute several weeks ago.

 

The case has been reported daily in Thailand leading to much national soul searching, changes in fines and enforcement and adaption at zebra crossings. 

 

The defendant will face nine charges in total the most serious of which is #1 - negligence causing the death of another person. 

 

Prosecutors said that this charge carries a ten year sentence and or a fine of 200,000 baht. 

 

Spokesman Itthiporn Kaewthip would not be drawn on whether the accused's status as a police officer would mean punishment would be especially severe. 

 

Fellow spokesman Prayuth Petchkhun said that justice would prevail and that the family of the victim would not need to hire a lawyer to press civil damages charges as this would be done for them by public prosecutors. 

 

The rest of the charges facing the lance corporal read like a list of all the things NOT to do when taking a motorcycle onto the roads, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

The charges include:

 

Having no licence plate

 

Not driving on the left

 

Not stopping for someone crossing on a zebra

 

Having no tax

 

Having no insurance

 

and

 

Speeding

 

The accused also faces charges related to not showing consideration for others on the road and having an incomplete set of equipment on the bike (this normally relates to things like mirrors).

 

He will appear again at 9 am on February 22nd. 

 

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[Crossy]

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Spokesman Itthiporn Kaewthip would not be drawn on whether the accused's status as a police officer would mean punishment would be especially severe. 

 

"Especially severe"? 

"Lenient" surely.

[smedly]

7 minutes ago, webfact said:

having an incomplete set of equipment on the bike

between the ears

[ikke1959]

But the police are special and they can do as they want... no license plate, no insurance... shameful. They check everyone , but is the police above the law??

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The case has been reported daily in Thailand leading to much national soul searching, changes in fines and enforcement and adaption at zebra crossings

and fresh paint.

[hotchilli]

200,000 fine... life is cheap in Thailand.

[Destiny1990]

So this is a guy who fines others  for not wearing an helmet. ????

[Ralf001]

9 traffic violation tickets is all that amounts to.

[Aussieroaming]

The poster boy of the RTP's road safety campaign, he unfortunately represents everything that many drivers here do on a daily basis. 

[richard_smith237]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

The charges include:

 

Having no licence plate

 

Not driving on the left

 

Not stopping for someone crossing on a zebra

 

Having no tax

 

Having no insurance

 

and Speeding

 

This rule is utterly ridiculous...  its a city centre urban road - everyone just drives in their lane.

 

This is not to lesson the burden of guilt on a guy who was speeding on his motorcycle and killed someone... however, using this as a charge is over egging the pudding somewhat. 

[tracker1]

I know of a person who purchased a new bike in Bangkok and the dealer removed the mirrors saying that they only get damaged trying to manoeuvre in the cities traffic

[howlee101]

It's very unfortunate this young doctor was killed by an irresponsible person....but does anyone think this would be a story if the person killed was a noodle vendor or vegetable seller... Or if the person on the motorcycle was the son of "do you know who my family/father is?"  So sad.

[rebo]

On 2/11/2022 at 8:25 AM, webfact said:

... the family of the victim would not need to hire a lawyer to press civil damages charges as this would be done for them by public prosecutors

This statement would be an extra reason for me to hire a lawyer.

[Stargeezr]

I also hope that this guy is now a fired and ex cop.  Should have been the one thing done to him

by now, but of course This Is Thailand. Will have to wait to see what exactly he might 

end up getting.