Actor Kills Garbage Collector In Car Crash

[sukanyacondo]

He'll get off easy. He's HiSo and she was dirt to anyone of the same. Very sad how evil people can be.

What outcome would you think appropriate?

Treating all people the same in Thailand would be a great start!!!!! no Hi so or Low so instead you just get "so so"!!!!!!

Agreed! That would be great! But can you tell me which country is like that?

The disparity is greater in Thailand than some other countries. I seriously doubt I could buy my way out of a murder if I was a millionaire in the UK. The only thing it could do to help me was to buy the best defence. Im not discussing whether I have broken any traffic rules ever but if I was tired i would not drive its no excuse, same as using a phone whilst driving. Yes here its a different culture and the result????? probably more deaths than many other countries . Thai driving is not skilful or clever its just plain dangerous and stupid!!

It may well be the woman he mowed down was also wandering aimlessly into the road like many people I see here but I havent got all the facts.

[WaiWai]

I haven't read the thread in full, but I certainly agree that

People again are judging things by their western standard. People have to understand that the person in question haven't lived a life in the west where he would be constantly reminded of road(or whatever) safety. It would have been just an ordinary thing for every bloody thai person in this country to drive in that state! Don't people get it? And no one here is looking for excuses! We are looking for explanations why things occur!

It's about showing moral superiority! Most human beings are not capable of being honest enough to themselves. They can't accept the fact that they themselves could also be the ones who commit sins! They like to dream of how good a person themselves are to get satisfaction.

Well said !

We do not know the full story here, but it IS entirely possible the guy fell asleep or misjudged the effects of medicine.

Not to say the judicial system here is perfect , but that is a separate issue.

[meemiathai]

Meemiathai, you & I seem to want different ideals in life. If I'm reading correctly, you would like society to stop knee-jerk blaming and start trying to analyse reasons why things happen and (I'm not sure I'm right about this bit) perhaps fix the cause rather than the symptoms.

I simply want people to start taking responsibility for their actions & accept the consequences if they do wrong. And if they have connections - like this actor, or the guy this week, or Paris Hilton, not to expect (or receive) leniency because of that. Yes, people make mistakes, but you have to own your mistakes, especially when they deprive someone of their life.

Guess what? We're both equally living in cloud cuckoo land. Neither of us will get our Utopia, because society just isn't like that.

I really like this post!

But no need for this , I think. Because evilness, sufferings are also part of life. If there is no bitter, you won't know what sweet is. If there is no hunger, you will never feel full. If..... Imagine the world without death, without poverty, without pain, so on.... Is it really enjoyable to live eternal life? Say you will never get ill, can never hurt yourself, can eat whatever you like, can live any luxurious house you want, can drive any car you like and most importantly you can drive anyway you like cause you won't kill yourself, is there still a point in life?

Am I mentally ill?

Wait, one thing I disagree. I don't live in cloud cuckoo land.(where the he11 is it anyway?) I think I do try to live as real as possible.

BTW, hats off to what you are doing to the dogs.

[Heng]

Yes, good point. You can't guarantee that your driver is going to be fit to drive, either. I'll give you that.

You can't guarantee it, but you can stipulate (and enforce) the job description from the get go. You can also weed out anyone you suspect of drug/alcohol abuse.

You always need to work downtime (sleep) into your driver's schedule. He also needs to stay with the vehicle. If he's waiting on you with explicit instructions to stay with the car with no personal telephone calls during work hours.... nap time is almost inevitable.

[meemiathai]

Would you still be excusing him if he had driven drunk? If not, what is the difference? He was unfit to drive & he must have known that he felt very tired/woozy from medicine. He took a gamble. That gamble resulted in the death of someone else. To me, that is criminal, although I don't know how it stands in Thai law.

same, same by Thai law.... Hence the reason he was arrested and charged:

Police filed initial charges against Sornram of reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident.

People again are judging things by their western standard. People have to understand that the person in question haven't lived a life in the west where he would be constantly reminded of road(or whatever) safety. It would have been just an ordinary thing for every bloody thai person in this country to drive in that state!

see above... How do you explain then a politician's son killing a policeman and getting away? Law is law. Everyday life is everyday life. You must be aware of average people in thailand are not as educated as they are in the west?

When was the last time you broke a traffic law?

I've never broken the law regarding reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident... have you? You did not exactly answer my question. OK, for example, speeding? Passing red lights? Driving on the wrong side for convenience?

Well, I'll answer yours. I haven't either. I have never hurt anyone when driving. But I have done a lot of reckless driving in my younger days. When I got my driving license at 19, we rented cars and drove like maniacs, doing driftings and so on. I must say I was very lucky not to have killed anyone including myself. I do wonder sometimes if anything could have been done to stop what I did. You know, people do crazy things when they are young, I mean some people. I guess I am not the only one who is like that. So this must be human nature? What is the best way to handle it?

[sriracha john]

Would you still be excusing him if he had driven drunk? If not, what is the difference? He was unfit to drive & he must have known that he felt very tired/woozy from medicine. He took a gamble. That gamble resulted in the death of someone else. To me, that is criminal, although I don't know how it stands in Thai law.

same, same by Thai law.... Hence the reason he was arrested and charged:

Police filed initial charges against Sornram of reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident.

People again are judging things by their western standard. People have to understand that the person in question haven't lived a life in the west where he would be constantly reminded of road(or whatever) safety. It would have been just an ordinary thing for every bloody thai person in this country to drive in that state!

see above... How do you explain then a politician's son killing a policeman and getting away? Law is law. Everyday life is everyday life. You must be aware of average people in thailand are not as educated as they are in the west?

But they are still expected to follow the laws. Whether they chose to do so or not is up to them... but breaking the laws can have consequences... like the death of a garbage collector, for example. Wangchalerm's case is an example of the law breaking down. Allowing it to break down further by letting Noom off doesn't do much good for anyone.... except Noom.

When was the last time you broke a traffic law?

I've never broken the law regarding reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident... have you? You did not exactly answer my question. OK, for example, speeding? Passing red lights? Driving on the wrong side for convenience?

He wasn't charged with any of the offenses so it's rather immaterial to the discussion.... but just to answer your question personally.. no, I've never been cited for any traffic offense.

Well, I'll answer yours. I haven't either. I have never hurt anyone when driving. But I have done a lot of reckless driving in my younger days. When I got my driving license at 19, we rented cars and drove like maniacs, doing driftings and so on. I must say I was very lucky not to have killed anyone including myself. I do wonder sometimes if anything could have been done to stop what I did. You know, people do crazy things when they are young, I mean some people. I guess I am not the only one who is like that. So this must be human nature? What is the best way to handle it?

The best way to handle it is by holding people accountable for their actions.... as they seem to be attempting to do in Noom's case thus far.

btw... I like the departure from the normal red/blue back and forth text.

[sriracha john]

Police filed initial charges against Sornram of reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident.

Interesting to see the public scorn that this alleged killer is facing in this promo shot. Similar to the "epileptic" Benz driver running over and killing the people on the sidewalk... a few weeks is all it takes to get over the bad publicity:

A pop idol, Sornram Theppitak, is surrounded by soldiers during a visit to army units in Pattani's Muang district on Wednesday.

The Nation

[sriracha john]

Actor Sornram Theppitak, accompanied by his mother, goes with police to the Attorney-General Office on Thursday for the criminal lawsuit, in which Sornram crashed his BMW car in Bangkok's Lat Phrao district, killing a garbage-collecting woman, in June.

The Nation

[geriatrickid]

Looks like a humble remorseful person in the picture to me.

Call me gullible, naive etc, or call him a good actor, but I have the feeling he truly regrets the unfortunate events.

[Payboy]

Looks like a humble remorseful person in the picture to me.

so does obl - especially in that video he taped after 911

[mikethevigoman]

SO is he going to be charged ?? with anything

Yes, the garbage firm are being prosecuted for letting an employee get in the way of a famous actor whilst dozing at the wheel , what were they thinking of !

[mikethevigoman]

If I fall asleep while holding a gun and it goes off and kills someone, I am no less responsible than if I have fallen asleep behind the wheel. It is still culpable. If this actor wishes to begin a lawsuit against his company for overworking him, that would be a separate matter- still looks like criminal charges would be appropriate.

Where i come from its called passing the buck !

[mikethevigoman]

There really is a lack of sympathy for the well to do around here. Accidents can and do happen.

I agree, a lot of comments here are as if it was a pre meditated murder, he was just unlucky,.we have all done this ( lost concentration for a second or 2 ) and got away with it,.

[DamianMavis]

I have a vested interest in the man so I feel guilty saying anything more about him but truly he always behaved in such a kind, polite and humble fashion. Just a silly example but goes to show where his head is at: like 20 people are watiing for the elevator at the film company, everyone is trying to push him to the front of the line and get him to go before all the people waiting (elevator only holds like 5 people and its slow) and he absolutely refused, they were insistent and he kept refusing saying he would wait in line for those ahead of him to go first. He kept refusing to the point of getting slightly gruff. I know that is stupid, but this is the way he always behaved (when I was around to witness) and I really liked and respected him for this. I don't judge people based on how the talk to me (it could be all lies) but watching all the little things they actually do is a pretty good indicator of their heart.

Damian Mavis

[bendejo]

All he needs to do now is change his name to P. Sommie and in a few months the incident won't even be recalled, except by the dead woman's family and friends.

[kmart]

I don't think this unfortunate incident could be seen the same way as the petulant spoiled kid who deliberately rammed his car into the bus queue, exactly.....

[sriracha john]

Although he does share an almost equal disregard for the sanctity of human life.

[kmart]

Although he does share an almost equal disregard for the sanctity of human life.

Given the superficiality of a lot of Thai values, he did manage to show a lot of concern and of being contrite for his (accidental) actions.

But then he is an actor...?

[Edonista]

It's also telling that the husband doesnt want to press charges.

Imagine you live such a poor existance that you need to spend your nights collecting garbage, then one day you get rid of your 58 years old wife by a rich guy that is also quite willing to pay a fat compensation. Who could be so ungrateful to press charges ?

[DamianMavis]

Although he does share an almost equal disregard for the sanctity of human life.

How do you figure man? Sonram accidentally killed someone and has been apologising and trying to make ammends (if possible) since it happened. The rich bastage that killed the people at the bus stop intentionally rammed his car into a group of people in a tantrum over a minor incident and then his family threatened everyone else around them on the spot! The boy never apologised and now they are claiming mental health problems as an excuse, I've met the kid, his only problem was that he was a rich spoiled brat. How is that an equal disregard for human life?

Damian Mavis

[sriracha john]

Woman killed after actor crashes car 'while asleep'

Popular actor Sornram Theppitak crashed his BMW car on Wednesday night, killing a woman who was collecting garbage for recycling.

Dr Narong Rodwanna told a press conference yesterday morning that Sornram, who suffered a nosebleed from the accident - had been deprived of sleep for a week and had taken a flu medicine prior to the accident. He said the actor was exhausted from lack of sleep but had no trace of alcohol in his body.

*If this is the case, sleep-deprivation and cold medicines and then driving are as lethal a combination as drunk driving and displays almost the same reckless disregard for the safety of others as if he had been hoisting whiskey drinks all night.*

Chokchai Police yesterday filed initial charges against Sornram of reckless driving causing death, property damage, and fleeing the scene of an accident.

*which, at least tentatively, confirms some posters concerns.*

- The Nation

Although he does share an almost equal disregard for the sanctity of human life.

How do you figure man? Sonram accidentally killed someone and has been apologising and trying to make ammends (if possible) since it happened. The rich bastage that killed the people at the bus stop intentionally rammed his car into a group of people in a tantrum over a minor incident and then his family threatened everyone else around them on the spot! The boy never apologised and now they are claiming mental health problems as an excuse, I've met the kid, his only problem was that he was a rich spoiled brat. How is that an equal disregard for human life?

Damian Mavis

see above.... and I did qualify my comment with "almost" as bad. I don't believe he had pre-meditated murder of the older woman on his mind, but his actions definitely show a high level of disregard for others and the lethal potentiality of his actions.

[DamianMavis]

Not only are they not in the same ballpark... they arent even in the same universe. People on this forum could probably make the same mistake he did, but I doubt anyone here would intentionally run a group of people over in a malicious rage. I don't see how you can even say ALMOST.

Damian Mavis

[YoungFarangNa]

Although he does share an almost equal disregard for the sanctity of human life.

How do you figure man? Sonram accidentally killed someone and has been apologising and trying to make ammends (if possible) since it happened. The rich bastage that killed the people at the bus stop intentionally rammed his car into a group of people in a tantrum over a minor incident and then his family threatened everyone else around them on the spot! The boy never apologised and now they are claiming mental health problems as an excuse, I've met the kid, his only problem was that he was a rich spoiled brat. How is that an equal disregard for human life?

Damian Mavis

met him ?

[mrtoad]

Not only are they not in the same ballpark... they arent even in the same universe. People on this forum could probably make the same mistake he did, but I doubt anyone here would intentionally run a group of people over in a malicious rage. I don't see how you can even say ALMOST.

Damian Mavis

I have to agree that there is a difference. Mooham's incident was malaicious intent, whereas this although very reclkess, appears to havce been a genuine mistake. However, it does perturb me somewhat, that he chose to flee the scene of the accident initially. Either way, both have resulted in deaths of inocent people. One, would probably be classed as manslaughter, whilst the other (mooham's) is clearly murder.

Sad storeis, both of them and unlikely to be any significant penalties for either.

[Acquiesce]

I have to agree that there is a difference. Mooham's incident was malaicious intent, whereas this although very reclkess, appears to havce been a genuine mistake. However, it does perturb me somewhat, that he chose to flee the scene of the accident initially. Either way, both have resulted in deaths of inocent people. One, would probably be classed as manslaughter, whilst the other (mooham's) is clearly murder.

Sad storeis, both of them and unlikely to be any significant penalties for either.

Why use the word 'accident'? This implies that no person is to blame, clearly the blame lies squarely on the drivers shoulders.

[DamianMavis]

No accident doesnt imply that at all. If I get rear ended by the driver behind me it is his fault, however "I was just in a car accident" is how I would describe the incident. I would not label it as "I was just the vicitm of a vehicle assault". Not trying to be difficult, just the use of the word accident is often used to describe things like this and it never implies that someone wasn't at fault, someones almost ALWAYS at fault heh.

Damian Mavis

[Acquiesce]

No accident doesnt imply that at all. If I get rear ended by the driver behind me it is his fault, however "I was just in a car accident" is how I would describe the incident. I would not label it as "I was just the vicitm of a vehicle assault". Not trying to be difficult, just the use of the word accident is often used to describe things like this and it never implies that someone wasn't at fault, someones almost ALWAYS at fault heh.

Damian Mavis

Not trying to be difficult either, but it would be a traffic collision not accident.

[DamianMavis]

Sure, but I and most others I think would actually use the term accident.... traffic collsion would never even enter my mind as a term to use (didnt even know it existed!). Which is what I meant, people use the word accident to describe things like this even though someone is at fault.

Damian Mavis

[A_Traveller]

As an aside, in British law the description is a RTA, Road Traffic Accident, not RTI, so the use of the word accident is entirely usual.

I do believe that, as I noted at the time, his judgement was, literately, fatally flawed, but I don't see the correlation between this and the actions of the Benz driver. At least in this case, he has, as far as I can adjudge, been open and honest about his involvement and only mitigating comments have been made, not endeavouring to suggest that somehow the victim was at fault, as in the other, frankly, nauseating case.

Regards

[meemiathai]

A bit curious. How many years do people think here he should be put in jail? 20 years for a life wouldn't be too much, would it?

Those who are condemning him, care to make a comment? How many years?

Or is it capital punishment?