Opinion: Accident involving Pakistani refugee and top cop’s son shows trust in Thailand’s institutions at all time low

[webfact]

 

By Cod Satrusayang

 

This past Saturday, the son of former Deputy Police Chief General Wirachai Songmetta, Pornmet Songmetta, steered his nine million baht Porsche onto a motorcycle driven by a Pakistani refugee.

 

The crash, which happened at 1 am near Saphan Taksin bridge, resulted in the death of the refugee and minor injuries for Pornmet. Two days later and police said they were still awaiting the results of the breathalyzer test to see if Pornmet was driving under the influence.

 

Now I don’t know the refugee, or Pornmet, or his father for that matter. They could all be upstanding, amazing people and this could be a tragic accident.

 

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Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/38515/opinion-accident-involving-pakistani-refugee-and-top-cops-son-shows-trust-in-thailands-institutions-at-all-time-low/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-03-14

 

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[Chang_paarp]

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Two days later and police said they were still awaiting the results of the breathalyzer test to see if Pornmet was driving under the influence.

Seriously?? Was he that drunk that it has taken two days to get the desired reading?

[welshguy]

2 days? 2 days and they are still waiting to get the breathalyser result?

 

Amazing Thailand indeed.  

 

They really are taking the public for right mugs. Unbelievable.

[Gottfrid]

Really sad they have to write something like this. It really shows that all time low they are talking about.

[metisdead]

A troll post using oversized fonts has been removed as well as a reply. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Two days later and police said they were still awaiting the results of the breathalyzer test to see if Pornmet was driving under the influence.

????????????

 

'Nuff said. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 hour ago, welshguy said:

They really are taking the public for right mugs. Unbelievable.

Easy with a populace so uneducated and cowed. Nobody ever dares to ask their 'betters' a question.

 

Thai kultcha innit. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

Great article from Cod, and he puts it more eloquently and succinctly than I did on the other thread:

 

"I am not saying there is corruption involved in the company. I am just saying Wirachai must be a hell of a business person to be able to run a clean energy company and also carry out his duties as a police officers."

 

Indeed. 

[Enzian]

Could someone please explain what "refugee" really refers to in this context? I was under the impression that Thailand is rather like Japan and Australia in this regard, that it doesn't normally accept what we think of as refugees. I'm not saying anything bad about the sadly deceased, I just wonder how he had residence here and moreover had control of a not inexpensive MC. Is refugee really the right word in this case?

[internationalism]

38 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Great article from Cod, and he puts it more eloquently and succinctly than I did on the other thread:

 

"I am not saying there is corruption involved in the company. I am just saying Wirachai must be a hell of a business person to be able to run a clean energy company and also carry out his duties as a police officers."

 

Indeed. 

Cod should not diverse into corruption in this company, not relevant to speeding of company owner's son.

Also Wirachai is not a cop anymore - was dismissed from service in for taping conversation with his superior and disclosing it to press. Yes, he was the owner of company and high ranking police, probably thai law allows for this. 

But Cod should ask questions about an accident itself, for example intoxication results not available yet, what the posters mentioned above.

Edited March 14, 2022 by internationalism

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

steered his nine million baht Porsche onto a motorcycle driven by a Pakistani refugee.

This is suggesting the rich guy was at fault. We don't know that. 

[Neeranam]

42 minutes ago, Enzian said:

Could someone please explain what "refugee" really refers to in this context? I was under the impression that Thailand is rather like Japan and Australia in this regard, that it doesn't normally accept what we think of as refugees. I'm not saying anything bad about the sadly deceased, I just wonder how he had residence here and moreover had control of a not inexpensive MC. Is refugee really the right word in this case?

I was thinking the same. Not a good article on many fronts. Never heard of Cod or the Thai Enquirer, but know I won't be reading it. 

Edited March 14, 2022 by Neeranam

[Mr Meeseeks]

8 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

This is suggesting the rich guy was at fault. We don't know that. 

No, the driver of the Porsche has already admitted to switching lanes quickly and hitting the motorbike, so we do know it's his fault. 

 

17 minutes ago, internationalism said:

Cod should not diverse into corruption in this company, not relevant to speeding of company owner's son.

Also Wirachai is not a cop anymore - was dismissed from service in January for taping conversation with his superior and disclosing it. Yes, he was the owner of company and high ranking police, probably thai law allows for this. 

But Cod should ask questions about an accident itself, for example intoxication results not available yet, what the posters mentioned above.

He's hinting at 'unusual wealth'. Isn't that what it is normally called here? Also making a point that a billionaire is not likely to be doing his Police Officer's job properly. 

[Neeranam]

12 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

No, the driver of the Porsche has already admitted to switching lanes quickly and hitting the motorbike, so we do know it's his fault. 

Thanks. Well at least he's honest. Yet still being attacked by the English press, like the Redbull guy was. These people seem more obsessed with bringing down the rich rather than caring about the deceased. 

[dirtybirty]

come on we all know the outcome on this 1. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

7 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks. Well at least he's honest. Yet still being attacked by the English press, like the Redbull guy was. These people seem more obsessed with bringing down the rich rather than caring about the deceased. 

I think people are worried he will be treated differently because he and his family have money. 

[jacko45k]

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I think people are worried he will be treated differently because he and his family have money. 

Foregone conclusion.......

[cheapcanuck]

Any bets on the outcome of the blood tests? 

Edited March 14, 2022 by cheapcanuck

[KKr]

4 hours ago, Enzian said:

I just wonder how he had residence here and moreover had control of a not inexpensive MC. Is refugee really the right word in this case?

whereas wealth is not usually assumed in a refugee, as demonstrated by the people bombed out of their apartment blocks in Ukraine, some people flee a country for reasons of personal safety related to religion, political activities, conflicting economic interests, and so on.
So, yes, whereas probably 99 % of displaced people that we see as refugees literally only have the clothes on their back and the will to survive, there are also people with more financial assets. 
The person referred to in the article is not further described, so the refugee-statement could be an assumption by an overzealous journalist not involved in fact checking.

[Will B Good]

4 hours ago, Neeranam said:

This is suggesting the rich guy was at fault. We don't know that. 

He has already admitted it was his fault to the police???

[KKr]

4 minutes ago, cheapcanuck said:

Any bets on the outcome of the blood tests? 

bet valid for one week, or for ten years ?

 

[mtls2005]

What, no after-effects from the visit to the dentist?

 

shows trust in Thailand’s institutions at all time low

 

Ouch. This assumes there was trust to begin with.

 

Being able to get away with murder is simply a right, assuming you're of a certain status. 

 

[Will B Good]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks. Well at least he's honest. Yet still being attacked by the English press, like the Redbull guy was. These people seem more obsessed with bringing down the rich rather than caring about the deceased. 

Yes....my heart really goes out ot The Boss every time I read about someone attacking him.

 

Who knows......maybe it was the butler who was driving and The Boss has skipped the country to deflect attention away from him?

[Will B Good]

I guess if his alcohol content was really high you might have to wait for at least two days for it to come far enough to be below the legal limit.

[jacko45k]

3 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

He has already admitted it was his fault to the police???

Changed lanes suddenly, and took him 150m to come to a stop.......

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, jacko45k said:

Changed lanes suddenly, and took him 150m to come to a stop.......

....got the pedals mixed up.....driving in flip-flops?

 

Friend of mine was 'fined' last week for driving in flip-flops......is that a thing?

[Ralf001]

3 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks. Well at least he's honest. Yet still being attacked by the English press, like the Redbull guy was. These people seem more obsessed with bringing down the rich rather than caring about the deceased. 

The deceased (Family) in the red bull case was well compensated so I'd say they are well cared for.

[itsari]

42 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

The deceased (Family) in the red bull case was well compensated so I'd say they are well cared for.

The red bull manslaughter case was a policeman . 

This current case is  a 77 year old woman that will carry no weight in any need for compensation .

Sad but thats how it is 

I remember a train crash in London where many were killed . The rich educated high earning dead passengers received far more in compensation than the commoners . I do not see the reason for it but the powers to be do . 

[mikeymike100]

"police said they were still awaiting the results of the breathalyzer test to see if Pornmet was driving under the influence."

 

As he was in hospital, surely they would take a blood test to check for alcohol? Its more accurate!

 

[spidermike007]

I am not sure if I have ever met anyone here who has trust and faith in the cops. The RTP at it's inception seems to have been created with a status quo from the government. We will NOT pay you a living wage, but you will have a franchise, and the limit of your income is based solely on your own creativity and initiative, and you will always be protected. Is that not the case? 
 
Where would you begin to change that culture? You know where? You would double all salaries. And invest in modern equipment, forensic labs and an effective highway patrol. Probably a trillion baht to start.