Man Rams Benz Into Bus Passengers, Killing One

[Big A]

No have, no have. I go to shopping for nooden

[Phrakhanong]

How hard would it be for one of the victims or family members to pay the wrong person to rough him up or worse? I think that's the more effective justice system in Thailand.

[Big A]

^^

What?? With his uncle being a former assistant commissioner of the police??

Either no one will touch him with a bargepole or the fee will be astronomical!!

[Scott]

Well, it's good they didn't take his driver's license away, otherwise he would be driving without a license. It seems he's been punished enough--being reduced to driving a Honda Accord!

[ChiangMaiAmerican]

"He told traffic police who responded that he knew high-ranking police officers.

The man is a nephew of retired assistant police chief Pol Lt-Gen Ukrit Patchimsawat."

That pretty well sums up his so called remorse over the last one.

Edited March 21, 2008 by ChiangMaiAmerican

[Briggsy]

Imagine how the victims and their families feel reading about Mu Ham's still happily driving around Bangkok while they are left in crippling pain for the rest of their lives.

[nothingleftbutfaith]

Imagine how the victims and their families feel reading about Mu Ham's still happily driving around Bangkok while they are left in crippling pain for the rest of their lives.

Disgusting Thailand .

[slapout]

Reading about escapades by this child and other children whose family have influence and money, this is just another preceived minor incident in the growing up procces. These boys are a prime examples of what used to be referred to as house apes, rug rats, etc. Just goes a long way in refuting the old excuse "they will grow out of it" and instead brings back memories of "should have drowned the little sh ts at birth" or " a classic case for mandatory birth control" I doubt these kids could enlist (thru any means) into even the worst terror groups, even though they must have many hidden talents. Those hidden talents only parents can or would want to see, seem to appear good qualities as more perks are passed out by their parents. Dont see many offers ging their way, (children or parents) by the sperm banks looking for donors.

[BigSnake]

Sorry to say the Rich may walk, walk away scot free that i s.

[Tony Clifton]

I wonder if he cried again?

F*%$/ crybaby.

[Gravelrash]

For those that like to believe the tourist marketing brochures, or expats with heads in the sand this incident is a small glimpse into the reality. It isn't even the incident itself, but the much wider implications affecting so many aspects of life here that such a mindset brings with it. There again there are those that will take solace declaring that "if you don't like it go home".

[Prakanong]

For those that like to believe the tourist marketing brochures, or expats with heads in the sand this incident is a small glimpse into the reality. It isn't even the incident itself, but the much wider implications affecting so many aspects of life here that such a mindset brings with it. There again there are those that will take solace declaring that "if you don't like it go home".

I agree - its the wider mindset - its one of the reasons Thailand will not do as well as some other countries in the region - its mired in the past - face - they hate losing it because they have so little

I can be harsh about Thailand because I love the place - then again I love Asia and Thailand is losing its allure.

[kmart]

The opportunity for any "real" justice happened for a brief moment after an angry crowd got a hold of this kid directly after he rammed the bus queue. They just gave him a bit of a roughing up; nothing serious. In other countries they might have killed him. This also says a lot about Thai society.

[jeffer]

From another news report...

"Chokchai police said Kanpitak appeared to be under severe stress after the accident yesterday and his parents had to pick him up from the police station"

It's about time his parents were charged for being criminally irresponsible in allowing him to get behind the wheel again. From previous comments and now this latest incident it appears they are totally oblivious to any effect the actions of their son has on anyone else. I wonder, in Thai law is there provision to vary the conditions of bail because if there is then a prosecutor should be applying to have added, a condition banning this person from driving until the case is settled at the very least.

[Insight]

The opportunity for any "real" justice happened for a brief moment after an angry crowd got a hold of this kid directly after he rammed the bus queue. They just gave him a bit of a roughing up; nothing serious. In other countries they might have killed him. This also says a lot about Thai society.

I remember a few years ago there was a ne'er-do-well "drug addict" who held a young girl hostage at On Nut skytrain station with a knife, eventually killing her. Pretty sad tale. Anyhow, after she was slain the crowd at the skytrain station jumped on the guy and killed him. It was all over the press, and probably on this forum somewhere.

Point being vigilantism was alive and well in this case. Wonder if the class status of the offendant in question this time made people a little more hesitant...?

[Prakanong]

The opportunity for any "real" justice happened for a brief moment after an angry crowd got a hold of this kid directly after he rammed the bus queue. They just gave him a bit of a roughing up; nothing serious. In other countries they might have killed him. This also says a lot about Thai society.

I remember a few years ago there was a ne'er-do-well "drug addict" who held a young girl hostage at On Nut skytrain station with a knife, eventually killing her. Pretty sad tale. Anyhow, after she was slain the crowd at the skytrain station jumped on the guy and killed him. It was all over the press, and probably on this forum somewhere.

Point being vigilantism was alive and well in this case. Wonder if the class status of the offendant in question this time made people a little more hesitant...?

I agree - vigilantism is alive and well in Thailand but so is the Puu Yai mentality - they will have seen the car and thought about possible come backs

[Old Man River]

From another news report...

"Chokchai police said Kanpitak appeared to be under severe stress after the accident yesterday and his parents had to pick him up from the police station"

It's about time his parents were charged for being criminally irresponsible in allowing him to get behind the wheel again. From previous comments and now this latest incident it appears they are totally oblivious to any effect the actions of their son has on anyone else. I wonder, in Thai law is there provision to vary the conditions of bail because if there is then a prosecutor should be applying to have added, a condition banning this person from driving until the case is settled at the very least.

Re: the link below "Pol Col Jirapat Phumijit, Thong Lor police chief, who handled the case, said Mr Kanpithak's driver's licence is still valid. Because of the three serious charges, police did not bring ''weaker'' charges, which would immediately have suspended his licence."

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/21Mar2008_news04.php

[A_Traveller]

He's the autistic son of the owner of the Landmark Hotel. Just hope 'autistic' will not be the new excuse du jour for the 'rebels without a cause'.

I'm suffering from repeat post syndrome, but since 'he's at it again!' and the thread will be more active, I repost this quote from a, now, closed thread about this, and ask, does anyone here know if this is true, {not the autism, but the link to the Landmark}? If so, then voting with wallets by not using the Landmark and the associated outlets springs to mind.

Regards

[mrtoad]

Mu Ham aka <deleted>, should not be allowed to drive as he is claiming that he is mentally ill to escape justice on the original crimes, it just goes to show what a sham those claims are, and if he is able to provide a Doctors report supporting his claims that too will prove that justice and equality does not exist at all in Thailand. The reasons given by the BIB as to why he is still allowed to drive are rather week, but if his idiotic parents had any decent or sense of responsibility they wouldn't let him drive, as we know they don't have any decency.

From my understanding, this guy is a petulant little prick who beleives that he is above the law . The problem is, that the lack of conviction in actually prosecuting for his murderous act has reinforced this belief. This guy will continue to show disrespect to peolpe again and again, until he is made to face up to the consequences of his actions. Again it looks like he went off crying to Mummy and Daddy.

[mrtoad]

He's the autistic son of the owner of the Landmark Hotel. Just hope 'autistic' will not be the new excuse du jour for the 'rebels without a cause'.

I'm suffering from repeat post syndrome, but since 'he's at it again!' and the thread will be more active, I repost this quote from a, now, closed thread about this, and ask, does anyone here know if this is true, {not the autism, but the link to the Landmark}? If so, then voting with wallets by not using the Landmark and the associated outlets springs to mind.

Regards

I'd also like to know as well in respect of the Landmark.

[monty]

He's the autistic son of the owner of the Landmark Hotel. Just hope 'autistic' will not be the new excuse du jour for the 'rebels without a cause'.

I'm suffering from repeat post syndrome, but since 'he's at it again!' and the thread will be more active, I repost this quote from a, now, closed thread about this, and ask, does anyone here know if this is true, {not the autism, but the link to the Landmark}? If so, then voting with wallets by not using the Landmark and the associated outlets springs to mind.

Regards

I'd also like to know as well in respect of the Landmark.

I was of the impression that the Landmark currently is owned by the summit hotel group.

Then again, it might only be leased and operated by them.

http://www.summithotels.com/about.asp

[A_Traveller]

^ I may be wrong but Summit is a marketing operation. For example, Tongsai Bay, another 'Summit property' is owned, famously, by a Thai family. A long time ago I was asked to look at certain hotels, one was the Landmark, and trying to ascertain 'ownership' was very odd. I believe the Landmark 'group' also owns The Landmark in London Marylebone, and a couple of others in Kensington, {Royal Lancaster?}.

EDIT// Looking into this again, there's more information out now {looking so near the '97 crash probably blunted data sources}. The Landmark Group is 'owned' by Jatuporn Sihanatkathakul & family etc. He is noted as marrying a former Miss Thailand, however, I don't think it's the same one as here but is there a connexion or just a confusion? Again, any one clarify this one way or another?

//

Regards

Edited March 21, 2008 by A_Traveller

[Ijustwannateach]

I hope by this point the police are shamed into taking his license away. They do occasionally care enough to make an effort not to look incompetent, no matter what this worthless person's connections.

[KhaoNiaw]

The Police were conspicuous by their absence and I thought it strange as there are dozens of Police officers around there and I've been stopped twice in the near vicinity for motoring 'offences'.

I don't think the traffic boys like to get involved in other matters. I was once on a bus and a gang of students jumped on to beat the crap out of one other boy. The driver hit the horn and yelled to the police officer who was waving the traffic on about 5 metres away. He just kind of shrugged and carried on doing his job.

[Tony Clifton]

The Police were conspicuous by their absence and I thought it strange as there are dozens of Police officers around there and I've been stopped twice in the near vicinity for motoring 'offences'.

I don't think the traffic boys like to get involved in other matters. I was once on a bus and a gang of students jumped on to beat the crap out of one other boy. The driver hit the horn and yelled to the police officer who was waving the traffic on about 5 metres away. He just kind of shrugged and carried on doing his job.

Most of them are sissies unless they are in a bunch, and even then....

A friend had her business invaded by a parasitic motorcycle gang made up of teenagers and young adult men. They wouldn`t leave the small rooms she had built and scared off the customers from her restaurant.

She complained at the local police station, they refused to help saying that this gang was too dangerous to confront , most likely involved in drug dealing and under police protection.

I suggested she burned down the rooms while they were gone one evening, sacrificing an adjacent small building she also owned in the process. She shut it all down instead and moved on having lost all of her investment. Civil protection? Crime prevention?

Edited March 21, 2008 by Tony Clifton

[thaigene2]

The opportunity for any "real" justice happened for a brief moment after an angry crowd got a hold of this kid directly after he rammed the bus queue. They just gave him a bit of a roughing up; nothing serious. In other countries they might have killed him. This also says a lot about Thai society.

I remember a few years ago there was a ne'er-do-well "drug addict" who held a young girl hostage at On Nut skytrain station with a knife, eventually killing her. Pretty sad tale. Anyhow, after she was slain the crowd at the skytrain station jumped on the guy and killed him. It was all over the press, and probably on this forum somewhere.

Point being vigilantism was alive and well in this case. Wonder if the class status of the offendant in question this time made people a little more hesitant...?

I agree - vigilantism is alive and well in Thailand but so is the Puu Yai mentality - they will have seen the car and thought about possible come backs

Yes probably true. And as for Pork-Ham's' parents arrivng to collect their 'baby' from the police station - again - (and probably running in just like a Thai soap opera I'll bet - mum crying, dad stoic), the officer on duty probably saluted and clicked his f+cking heals. You know if any country really needed a Robin Hood, it's Thailand. But forget the bow and arrows. Give Robin a 57 Magnum and let's see some real justice.

[sriracha john]

A long, lonely wait for justice

Victims of notorious road rage attack feel they are fighting alone

Victims of the road rage attack by Kanpithak Pachimsawat, who rammed his car into a group of bus passengers in July last year, say they feel they are fighting alone for justice. Since the first compensation payment, the financial assistance promised by the Pachimsawat family has not been forthcoming, they say. "To be honest, I'd like a better show of spirit from them," said Suchira Insuwan, 26, whose mother was killed in the incident. "Initially they were very kind. They acted so kindly that I believed they would take responsibility. But now they have ended contact, not even making a phone call. Since the media attention subsided they never come near," Suchira said. Kanpithak, also known as Mu Ham, was behind the wheel of the car that killed her mother eight months ago. The 20-year-old son of 1984 Miss Thailand Sawinee Pakaranang, was driving his black Mercedes in central Bangkok. At a red light at Nana junction he got out of the car and complained to a bus driver that his bus had scratched his car. The bus driver denied the claim and drove off at the next green light. That triggered the tragedy. Kanpithak followed in his Mercedes. At a junction, a policeman stopped the bus. Kanpithak caught up with it, left his car and smashed a rock into the bus driver's face, then ran back to his Mercedes. However, he did not stop at that point. The bus conductor told passengers to get off and wait for another bus by the road, and Kanpithak accelerated his Mercedes into the crowd. The car ran over Saengmanee Imsodaree, Sangwan Seehawong and Saichon. They were trapped under the vehicle when it came to a halt. All three were seriously injured. Saichon, an accountant, later died. Her broken ribs punctured internal organs and her pelvis was broken. All told, about a dozen people were injured. Kanpithak's father, Kananek, and his ex-wife tried to protect their son by claiming that he was mentally ill. His mother managed to cool down the situation by promising that her family would take responsibility, visiting the injured and attending the funeral of the dead woman. Suchira now lives alone in the small room she used to share with her mother. "Mum was the best of the best. She would do whatever I asked her to. She was my everything. I did everything for her, but now I have no one to turn to. I have no future,'' she said. The city bus agency employed her as an accountant but she said she could hardly make ends meet on her monthly salary of 8,000 baht. She said the Pachimsawat family gave her 10,000 baht for the funeral of her mother, and nothing else. Sangwan, 26, has a large disfiguring scar on her back, and says she suffers from itching and swelling. She had received 27,000 baht for her treatment and nothing else. Cosmetic surgery on the scar would cost more than 100,000 baht, but she feared she would not get it from Kanpithak's family. The former Miss Thailand said she had done her best and her son's mental disorder had become worse after the incident, so she would leave the issue with the court. Kanpithak's trial is to start this morning. He is charged with

Continued here:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/24Mar2008_news21.php

Edited March 24, 2008 by sriracha john

[Plus]

" .. fighting alone for justice.. " - yet all they talk about is money.

Sounds like they are negotiating a deal. What's a good price for a dead mother?

[Briggsy]

" .. fighting alone for justice.. " - yet all they talk about is money.

Sounds like they are negotiating a deal. What's a good price for a dead mother?

In Thailand the only way that a situation like this can be resolved is with money.

The victims are very ordinary people who ride non-air con buses. They are painfully aware that nephews of assistant police chiefs do not go to prison. They have no influence over any court proceedings.

In addition their costs are real in a society with very little in the way of a welfare system. Medical bills, loss of earnings, funeral costs. These are just for starters.

I feel you are being a bit hard on them. Money is the only 'justice' they can hope to receive.

[younghusband]

Part of the problem is the culture in Thailand of offenders compensating victims in what is effectively a negotiation, thereby mitigating or avoiding altogether the penalties that would be imposed by going down the legal route.I suppose it's inevitable given the possibility of the police or justice system itself being bought off.I've never fully understood -and here I agree with Plus -why the loss of a relative (other than the bread winner) means a huge financial payout whether in Thailand or elsewhere.

On a related tack one of the things I've always found shocking here is the fact that in the event of an incident like this the family will almost always lie to protect one of their own.It's almost unknown for the family to insist that the truth must be told, even if that means a custodial sentence.This is a phenonomen in Thailand that stretches across all social classes and income groups.Of course it happens in the West as well but there remains a a very substantial number that would insist on justice being done and a horror of lies, notwithstanding a sadness about the personal repercussions of their family member.Almost entirely lacking here because in truth there is not much of sense of "society".