Teen Involved In Fatal Bangkok Tollway Crash Stressed Out : Mum

[whybother]

http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-534901

Tollway footage is attached and there are basically very few cars on the tollway.

Images are pretty gruesome and you can see that someone had meddled with the car to make it look less wrecked.

It stinks already.

Yep ... they even went out and got a new number plate. It stinks. It usually takes weeks to get a new number plate. And she got it in a matter of hours. The rich and elite get everything they want ...

OR

They are two different cars.

[fstarbkk]

While "arrangements" are being made to engineer a painless stroll through the justice system for the little princess, mummy is spinning the news like a real PR pro, positioning her offspring and the whole family as victims. How predictable!

Why does it take the police a week to secure an appointment with the principal suspect in a vehicular homicide case? I seriously doubt that someone without a prestigious last name would get this much ceremony and courtesy from the BiB. Most ordinary mortals in this situation would have been languishing in some precinct holding cell while awaiting further disposition of their case... possibly for several months.

[moskito]

I don't know if the Driver's License issue affects insurance. I had a rather nasty accident some years back and was sent to the hospital. Vehicle was very badly damaged. Insurance paid everything, including the hospital costs (accident was my fault, by the way). I was fined 200 baht for driving without a license and 200 baht for causing an accident.

very very lucky the accient was happend in Thailand and not in a civilized country. In most parts of Europe you had to face a judge in front of a court and for sure the insurance will not have paid anything. Without a driving license its 100% drivers fault, if he can drive and do it so for 20 years doesnt count then.

and with the serious brain injuries I meant the mental health and the responsibility of that 16y.o. girl. She obviously did not give a sh1t in the first place about others, more important was to have fun thought. The idea of sending her somewhere for playing a nurse in emergency room is for sure better as send her to jail or charge her a couple of thousand bahts.

anyway, have nice partys all of you and drive safe

[Langsuan Man]

What do I know ?

Not much, just a picture of a young girl texting on a cell phone with a wrecked car in the background

But as they say a picture is worth a thousand words

And the words I hear are, you don't text your family / friends / car owner / when an obviously serious accident happens, you call them

I think that this is one time us farangs can sit back and let the Thias meet out justice and righteous indignation, remember that the people that are vilifying her are her peers, young Thais that are representative of the Internet age, not us old farts that have nothing better to do than comment on "them kids"

[TAWP]

What do I know ?

Not much, just a picture of a young girl texting on a cell phone with a wrecked car in the background

But as they say a picture is worth a thousand words

And the words I hear are, you don't text your family / friends / car owner / when an obviously serious accident happens, you call them

I think that this is one time us farangs can sit back and let the Thias meet out justice and righteous indignation, remember that the people that are vilifying her are her peers, young Thais that are representative of the Internet age, not us old farts that have nothing better to do than comment on "them kids"

Uh, if I try to call someone and they are busy/not answering and it is urgent, I sure as hell will message them.

[Tywais]

A comment on moderation has been removed. If you have an issue, take it to the moderator/admin and not in public as outlined in the forum rules.

[homeseeker]

I don't know if the Driver's License issue affects insurance. I had a rather nasty accident some years back and was sent to the hospital. Vehicle was very badly damaged. Insurance paid everything, including the hospital costs (accident was my fault, by the way). I was fined 200 baht for driving without a license and 200 baht for causing an accident.

Quite shameful but can read no remorse in your admission.Do you really think its' something to boast about???

And is this the kind of person employed as a global mod?!

Edited December 31, 2010 by homeseeker

[Nisa]

I don't know if the Driver's License issue affects insurance. I had a rather nasty accident some years back and was sent to the hospital. Vehicle was very badly damaged. Insurance paid everything, including the hospital costs (accident was my fault, by the way). I was fined 200 baht for driving without a license and 200 baht for causing an accident.

Quite shameful but can read no remorse in your admission.Do you really think its' something to boast about???

And is this the kind of person employed as a global mod?!

How long you been riding way up there on that white horse? Maybe time to get down.

[Nisa]

The other major English language newspaper besides The Nation reported that the girl had failed to show up for an interview with police that had been set up by her family, and that's what led to the police issuing the Jan. 5 summons to her. If that report is accurate, that's not getting off to a very good start.

I can't speak for everyone but I think I can speak for many... I don't hate this girl or have any prejudice against her family or her class in society. I just want what anyone should want... those found responsible for any crime to be punished in accord with the law, and for the victims and their families to get justice from the Thai legal system.

Even if the case followed the legal letter of the law, given that the girl is a minor, I'm doubtful she'd be in for much if any of a jail sentence. Her parents as adults, however, might well be in for a lot of litigation, unless they manage to make the whole mess fade away.

I have seen numerous comments by the haters about her good looks, the way she stood in the photo, her name, her skirt, her parent's occupation as well as numerous imagined assumptions about her upbring, thought process and so on which to any person with common sense are coming out of jealousness and not any thoughts or concerns with the Thai Justice System.

Read it again. The wording is kind of funky but it does NOT say she failed to show up for any scheduled meeting.

[Nisa]

But she may get jail time because of all the haters who are making this into something they are clueless about and are somehow already convinced she is not only fully responsible for the accident but that she and her family set out, or at the least could care less, to kill 9 people because they could get away with it due to their last name. Yet, common sense tells us the further thing away from a typical 16-year old's mind is consequences or that these things will happen to them.

You cannot be serious and I should be careful on the evidence of your post about flinging around "clueless" epithets..As yet the facts are unclear.If however after due process the girl gets gaol time, that will be the considered decision of the Thai justice system, and has nothing to do with the "haters".If she is not the party to blame, she will be set free although we already know she was driving illegally.The question of whether the killings were unintentended is completely beside the point, whether the driver is 16 or 66.I do feel a certain sympathy for this girl and many attacks have been unfair.Your comments frankly don't strengthen her case, actually the opposite.

As you mention, the facts are not yet in so people who are "haters" on this topic (as I was describing) are "clueless" at this point. You appear to agree with this but at the same time argue about it ?!?!?

You are also not thinking very clearly if you think public pressure and media attention doesn't often have an effect on the way decisions are made in government.

[peteralex]

What all about this excitement! As sad as this story is, this very tragic story will probably end up in court similar like this:

Whether or not the girl was holding a driver license, this horrible accident was UNAVOIDABLE. It was the sole fault of the van's driver because he was using that highway road at the WRONG time and WRONG location. As well the police might have been held partly responsible of not having blocked that road because this 15 year-old girl was practizing the arts of driving a car on THAT road, since other roads are too crowded to practize. However, finally in a trial the police will reveal innocent, due to lack of personal beeing unable to do so, instead of had the duty of blocking a specific route somewhere for hi-speed passing VIPs.

After that and finally the girl will probably require a compensation for damaging the reputation due to unjustified blaming.

I hope my contribution is understood ironically, the survivors and the victims's families have my full sympathies.

[DieterWiehe]

Lets Wait fore the investigation , those van drivers have a reputation for reckless driving.

[Jim's_a_Thai_Fox]

I used to date a girl who work in a bank in Udon whose name finished ....Na Ayutthaya - she sure as heck wasn't from a very hi-so family... sure seems a lot of people automatically assume that name means someone is 'untouchable' and I can tell you that it ain't so...

A terrible accident, RIP to the deceased, and I hope that if she is found guilty of the crime that she will do the time (unlike that guy who killed 3 after ramming his Merc into a group of people at a bus stop), conversely, if she is found to be innocent, she will be exonerated and have a normal life..

[jfchandler]

To his credit the PM has emphasized the law is blind.

Let's hope you're not right, in the normal way it works here...

Too often the law is blind, in that it doesn't see and provide justice to remedy what are clear abuses and violations...

Happens every day.... the laws get broken willy nilly, and the authorities are "blind" to see it or do anything about it.

[jfchandler]

As for paying like everybody else, the families are going to be compensated well and this would not be the case if the driver was poor ...

How much baht of compensation would it take to "compensate" you "well" if your child or sibling or parent was suddenly killed in a horrible accident at least in part by a girl who never should have been driving in the first place?

How cheap do you want to make the value of a person's life in Thailand? What's the going rate these days?

[jfchandler]

The other major English language newspaper besides The Nation reported

Read it again. The wording is kind of funky but it does NOT say she failed to show up for any scheduled meeting.

Read my comment again... The OTHER newspaper reported that... a newspaper that is not supposed to be quoted here.. And that's exactly what their article today reported...

Pol Maj Gen Amnuay said the summons was served after Ms .... failed to report to police on Wednesday.

The girl's family contacted police to arrange for the questioning but she did not show up, he said.

A warrant would be issued for the arrest of Ms ... if she failed to report to police next Wednesday.

[jfchandler]

What you say about your past may well be the case... But if you read the newspaper reporting about THIS case, you'll see that the girls' father is a VERY high ranking official... In this case, the name fits.

I used to date a girl who work in a bank in Udon whose name finished ....Na Ayutthaya - she sure as heck wasn't from a very hi-so family... sure seems a lot of people automatically assume that name means someone is 'untouchable' and I can tell you that it ain't so...

A terrible accident, RIP to the deceased, and I hope that if she is found guilty of the crime that she will do the time (unlike that guy who killed 3 after ramming his Merc into a group of people at a bus stop), conversely, if she is found to be innocent, she will be exonerated and have a normal life..

[cdnvic]

One sick post deleted, along with those quoting it. Member has lost their posting privileges.

[Nisa]

The other major English language newspaper besides The Nation reported

Read it again. The wording is kind of funky but it does NOT say she failed to show up for any scheduled meeting.

Read my comment again... The OTHER newspaper reported that... a newspaper that is not supposed to be quoted here.. And that's exactly what their article today reported...

Pol Maj Gen Amnuay said the summons was served after Ms .... failed to report to police on Wednesday.

The girl's family contacted police to arrange for the questioning but she did not show up, he said.

A warrant would be issued for the arrest of Ms ... if she failed to report to police next Wednesday.

deleted

Edited December 31, 2010 by Nisa

[473geo]

As for paying like everybody else, the families are going to be compensated well and this would not be the case if the driver was poor ...

How much baht of compensation would it take to "compensate" you "well" if your child or sibling or parent was suddenly killed in a horrible accident at least in part by a girl who never should have been driving in the first place?

How cheap do you want to make the value of a person's life in Thailand? What's the going rate these days?

If a family member dies especially a breadwinner, surely compensation is a good thing, I think you should try to look beyond the headline grabbing 'what price a life'....this displays a very narrow viewpoint in my opinion

[Nisa]

What you say about your past may well be the case... But if you read the newspaper reporting about THIS case, you'll see that the girls' father is a VERY high ranking official... In this case, the name fits.

I used to date a girl who work in a bank in Udon whose name finished ....Na Ayutthaya - she sure as heck wasn't from a very hi-so family... sure seems a lot of people automatically assume that name means someone is 'untouchable' and I can tell you that it ain't so...

A terrible accident, RIP to the deceased, and I hope that if she is found guilty of the crime that she will do the time (unlike that guy who killed 3 after ramming his Merc into a group of people at a bus stop), conversely, if she is found to be innocent, she will be exonerated and have a normal life..

The girls father is retired military. I think he was a lieutenant but know he was not a General. So, he is not a "VERY" high ranking official.

[brd]

How many years has she been driving if only 16 and are the parents not responsible and liable in a fatal crash like this one ?

What was she doing to crash at the barrier.....talking on mobile phone ?

How many others are doing the same ?

C R A Z Y !

How can anyone believe these reports? Now she was playing cat and mouse with the van driver after yesterdays report she 'tapped' the rear of the van. Now we have admissions she loves going fast - I mean how long has the 'prestige named' family had this lunatic at the wheel?

Then we have compensation - what a joke! 150,000 THB for injury or THB200,000 for death - doesn't get much better than that - but wait - there's more. She gets a maximum of THB50,000 fine for reckless driving causing injury and death! Oh yeah and the jail sentence of 10 years which will never occur. And BTW, words last night with someone in the 'know' says she is actually 15. Doesn't seem to matter much now does it?

But let's not forget mum's comment - she was calling her friend on the BB as opposed to yesterday she was calling the family, but this time for insurance? What other gifts of 'truth' will arise from this saga of ducking and weaving?

I must remember this as a precedent to quote in court should the same fate befall me. T.i.T. Life is cheap!

[brd]

I am inviting every driver to THINK if they want to drive fast let them do it ONLY on their own up to them TO GAMBLE WITH THEIR OWN LIFES but when carrying ANY passengers NO WAY they have to be more careful being in charge of other people's life.

CRAZY selfish childish stupid so often encountered attitude not only in Bangkok, Thailand.

How many I asked to CHA CHA and how many powerboat I refused to get in without checking first the number of vests.

WE OURSELVES HAVE TO THINK NEVER RELY ON THIRD PARTIES ESPECIALLY WE KNOW.

Better they lose face than all of us our life because of stupidity.

A 16 years old should never not only drive any vehicle and without a licence especially but if pretending to drive like a professional van driver of ten seats. NO WAY, CRAZY !

How can anyone believe these reports? Now she was playing cat and mouse with the van driver after yesterdays report she 'tapped' the rear of the van. Now we have admissions she loves going fast - I mean how long has the 'prestige named' family had this lunatic at the wheel?

Then we have compensation - what a joke! 150,000 THB for injury or THB200,000 for death - doesn't get much better than that - but wait - there's more. She gets a maximum of THB50,000 fine for reckless driving causing injury and death! Oh yeah and the jail sentence of 10 years which will never occur. And BTW, words last night with someone in the 'know' says she is actually 15. Doesn't seem to matter much now does it?

But let's not forget mum's comment - she was calling her friend on the BB as opposed to yesterday she was calling the family, but this time for insurance? What other gifts of 'truth' will arise from this saga of ducking and weaving?

I must remember this as a precedent to quote in court should the same fate befall me. T.i.T. Life is cheap!

[jfchandler]

The girls father is retired military. I think he was a lieutenant but know he was not a General. So, he is not a "VERY" high ranking official.

Maybe you can elaborate on this earlier post in this thread, #10.

Thailand's Top Army Officers—Positions, Graduating Class, and Connections

Name Position: 2009-2010 Class Connection Gen. Anupong Paochinda Army Commander-in-Chief 10 (retires 2010) Ex-Queen's Guard Second Division Commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Deputy Commander-in-Chief 12 (retires 2014)* Ex-Queen's Guard Second Division Commander (close to Anupong Gen Viroj Buacharoon Chairman of the RTA advisory board 9 (retires 2010) Close to ret.Gen.Sonthi Bunyaratklin and Anupong Gen Wit Thephasadin Na Ayutthaya Assistant Commander-in-Chief 11 (retires 2011)* Close to Anupong

[bristolgeoff]

what about the families of the people who died.they must be stressed out, except she is alive and looking to get away with what she done

[Nisa]

The girls father is retired military. I think he was a lieutenant but know he was not a General. So, he is not a "VERY" high ranking official.

Maybe you can elaborate on this earlier post in this thread, #10.

Thailand's Top Army Officers—Positions, Graduating Class, and Connections

Name Position: 2009-2010 Class Connection Gen. Anupong Paochinda Army Commander-in-Chief 10 (retires 2010) Ex-Queen's Guard Second Division Commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha Deputy Commander-in-Chief 12 (retires 2014)* Ex-Queen's Guard Second Division Commander (close to Anupong Gen Viroj Buacharoon Chairman of the RTA advisory board 9 (retires 2010) Close to ret.Gen.Sonthi Bunyaratklin and Anupong Gen Wit Thephasadin Na Ayutthaya Assistant Commander-in-Chief 11 (retires 2011)* Close to Anupong

No problem elaborating ... This is not her father. It is her Uncle.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/01/01/national/Girl-17-admits-to-speeding-before-deadly-crash-wit-30145558.html

General Wit Thephasdin na Ayutthaya, chairman of the Army's staff and the uncle of the girl in the eye of the storm, apologised for the accident and denied using any social privilege to influence police investigation into the accident. "Please believe in our family's honour and dignity. There will be no use of any privilege in police investigation in our favou r," he added

Edited December 31, 2010 by Nisa

[jfchandler]

Whatever the particular family connection to the girl, you seem to be very wrong about his standing... Suffice to say, it's a prominent family....

But, thanks for clarifying the father vs uncle issue.... I hadn't yet seen that Nation article headed for this morning's paper.

Yet the proposed elevation of Prayuth Chan-ucha in October 2010 does not amount to the wholesale enhancement of an anti-Thaksin military leadership. The current Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Piroon Phaeopolsong as well as assistant commanders in chief Gen. Wit Thepasadin Na Ayuthaya and Lt. Gen. Teerawat Boonyapradap belong to cadet classes senior to Prayuth. Yet Prayuth leapfrogged over all of them from First Army Region Commander to become Chief of Staff and then Deputy Commander, a meteoric rise which could have instilled resentment. Of all three, Wit appears the most sympathetic to any future pro-Thaksin government. He is the son of former Deputy Commander Gen. Yot Thepasadin Na Ayuthaya, who was close to late Field Marshall Gen. Praphas Charusatien. Yot was also once a competitor with Prem back in 1978 for the post of Army Commander. Wit is also close to Thaksin's cousin Chaisit Shinawatra and is a brother-in-law of Gen. Pornchai Kranlert, a pro-Thaksin Class 10 graduate who had been slated to become Army Commander.[4] Neither Piroon, Wit, or Teerawat ever served in the Queen's Guard nor do they belong to Prayuth's Class 12. Indeed, Wit and Piroon each belong to Class 11, the same as the late Kattiya Sawasdipol (Sae Daeng). Regardless, all three are set to retire in October 2011. Should the current ruling coalition remain in power until that date, it will be able to influence what soldiers are promoted into these positions. For greater elaboration, see the table below, which indicates the senior army brass, their graduating class, and connections.

http://asiapacific.a...alist-military/

Edited December 31, 2010 by jfchandler

[webfact]

Girl, 17, admits to speeding before deadly crash with van, apologises for the casualties

By The Nation

For the first time since Monday's horrific road accident on an elevated tollway section that killed nine passengers in a van, the under-aged driver of the sedan involved in the incident spoke publicly in a television interview yesterday, offering her apologies and admitting to speeding prior to the crash.

The unnamed girl, who said for the first time that she was 17 years of age, was however cautious when answering questions on aspects that may put her at a disadvantage legally. She said initially that the accident would not have happened had she not been speeding, but also dismissed a leading question about traffic camera footage showing her car speeding.

"If I were not speeding, the accident would have possibly not occurred, or not been this violent. I tried my best to swerve away [from the van], but my car lost control, and hit it. I apologise for this," she said.

Earlier, responding to two questions during the interview, the girl said she could not remember at what speed she was driving. When probed further: "From what is seen in the footage, your car was travelling very fast, why were you speeding?," the girl replied: "What speeding? I'd rather not answer this. Whatever the affect or if there is anything, I would need to later tell the police. I excuse myself not to speak about it."

The girl said she would like to attend the funerals of all nine people but "the consequences and media reaction to what has happened" was "a bit too violent" for her to do so. She dismissed public speculation, reflected through online communities, that she was using her BlackBerry to update her Twitter and Facebook on the accident. She said she was calling her parents and friends.

The interviewer did not ask the girl about "fun-laced messages" on her Twitter profile, and the "ha ha ha" attached to them - a topic hotly discussed on Web boards. She denied having other social network services other than a Facebook account, which was now discontinued. The online postings are now distributing captures of her Twitter and Facebook messages containing her immediate updates on both services.

The girl and her parents later visited all five people wounded in the accident at Vibhavadi Hospital and offered apologies to all of them. A token compensation of Bt20,000 was given to each of the five. Two of the wounded, Wissarut Phollasit and Waranyoo Ketchoo, said they accepted the family's apologies and felt better about them. Both men's parents said they were not thinking yet about demanding compensation from the girl's family.

Wissarut told reporters that the girl's mother told him about possibly "sending her back to the US afterwards". He said the mother felt sorry for the family's "late response", especially after five days.

The body of Janjira Simkrathoke, the ninth fatality from the accident, yesterday reached her home province of Buri Ram. At a sombre ceremony on Thursday at a hospital, her Thammasat University classmates, sang a faculty song to bid farewell to the 22-year-old senior of the Public Health Faculty. Many of her classmates, mostly girls, sang and cried together.

General Wit Thephasdin na Ayutthaya, chairman of the Army's staff and the uncle of the girl in the eye of the storm, apologised for the accident and denied using any social privilege to influence police investigation into the accident. "Please believe in our family's honour and dignity. There will be no use of any privilege in police investigation in our favour," he added

-- The Nation 2011-01-01

[geovalin]

]

Wissarut told reporters that the girl's mother told him about possibly "sending her back to the US afterwards". He said the mother felt sorry for the family's "late response", especially after five days.

This family are probably full of good persons but what a poor communication!!!! Every time they want to show their compassion and to prove they are "normal people", they get out of hands. "When some one from our family has a problem, he travels to the US to calm down."

I suggest the hurt persons in the accident go to Paris or London to amuse themselves and change their mood.

Edited January 1, 2011 by geovalin

[DLock]

What a terribly sad situation for the families of the 9 people who died.

The overriding fact for me is that she did not have a license and was too young to be behind that wheel.

Those people trying to defend that she may have been a good Driver (compared to others they have seen), that it may have been partially the Vans fault or that we should wait until this has been investigated are made invalid by the overriding fact that she does not have a license to drive, should not have been driving and if she wasn't driving this would not have happened.

Don't over think this...she did not have a right to be behind the wheel of that car. Period.

I hope that the girl gets everything that she deserves and more, and as much as her Family whine, they will never feel the loss of a loved one that she inflicted on so many people that night.