Lao Girl Cut In Half By Fleeing Stolen Porsche: Thai Police

[ollylama]

350,000 baht. a drop in the bucket for the owner of a porsche cayman. 12,000 USD. that's a tenth of what the car is worth. that's not to say it should be more - you can't fine people a percentage of their net worth - only to point out how the wealthy can act with impunity in cases like these. there's no way to prevent the spoiled offspring of the wealthy to drive like maniacs and fear no consequence. it's much easier to see when reduced in financial scale here in thailand, but this applies to the wealthy all over the world.

Edited March 30, 2011 by Lite Beer
Link to Bangkok Post removed.

[Crushdepth]

350,000 baht. a drop in the bucket for the owner of a porsche cayman.

Sickening. It will probably cost more than that to repair the car.

[NanLaew]

"Since dad had also driven the car (assumption), the fact that his fingerprints were NOT all over the steering wheel would have been more remarkable."

Nanleaw.. maybe they got prints / dna from the airbag??? ever thought of that before you ran ya mouth off?

Yes, since the 'other evidence' mentioned hasn't been specified, your assumption is fundamentally sound.

OMG!!! Wait a minute... uncle Supachai DOES have long hair too. He could be setting his son up as the patsy... if indeed the 15 year-old that turned himself in really IS his son.

PS. do you think of anything before you run yours?

PPS. It's NanLaew btw. Thanks.

Edited March 30, 2011 by NanLaew

[Buchholz]

Amazing Laos/Thailand...

The mother has forgiven her daughter's killer and hugged him when he apologized to her while attending the girl's funeral.

[sbk]

Off topic posts deleted.

[harleyclarkey]

Geez too horrid to think about, The low life creep who killed this poor girl. The speed at impact must have been horrendous. How can he drive away? For 10 kms??

A Porsche has a very sophisticated alarm immobiliser system. To steal one needs a lot of know how. They initially claimed it was stolen?? Sure. Any half wit would look to the family/owner first.

God love her. RIP.

Edited March 30, 2011 by harleyclarkey

[naiharn]

NanLaew wrote:

Wouldn't this be the legal responsibility of the person making the copy, i.e. the hotel clerk? Especially as not a single tourist in a million would know of his alleged duty!

Imagine the scene:

Somchai: please write on this scan of your passport why I copied it!

Tourist: What?

Somchai: I just copied your passport, and if you don't write on it why I did it you are committing an offence!

Tourist: are you serious?

Somchai: Yes! Just ask NanLaew!

Tourist: who's NanLaew?

Somchai: He is the ONLY farang in Thailand who knows of this law!

Glad to see you took your time to whip up a response.

I don't have a lot of time to devote to his intriguing forum. Apparently a lot less time than you have.

But you are correct. It is the responsibility of the person surrendering the copy of their ID to sign off on the notation. Whoever writes the notation is neither here nor there and certainly not the usual remit of the hotel desk clerk.

..

So yes, it's a legal requirement in Thailand....

Look mate, simply stating this strange advice over and over again does nothing to prove that it is true. How about a link to a statute or regulation proving it? (Thai language will do.) I'd be fascinated to read all about it.

just like wearing a crash helmet on your bike,

No it's NOT just like having to wear a crash helmet. That requirement is widely publicised, and everyone knows about it. Unlike the vanishingly small minority who know of the law you are spouting.

or always carrying your state-issued photo ID with you (that's your passport since you aren't a local).

Ah yes, another standby of the anals on TV. "You (greenhorn tourist) must carry your passport with you at all times - you haven't done this, so you can't complain about anything in Thailand!". But these know-alls can never provide a link to an official site (especially one that tourists might be expected to read) proving it.

It's interesting also that the good folk at the Tourism Authority of Thailand don't agree with this. When I contacted them their advice was a tourist only needs to carry a photocopy of the important pages of their passport. But funnily enough they don't mention anything about writing the reason why they made the copy of these pages on the copies! So when you have found 'proof' of your law, perhaps you should pass it on to the TAT as well.

[MSingh]

This story is very sad all the way around. A young girl's life has been cut drastically short and a family is left to grieve. A young man will most likely live with the guilt and pain of the misery he has caused and most likely some legal and financial pain as well.

<deleted>! The young man will have little, if any, long term guilt as the deceased was someone from a far lower station in life, a Lao. The Bangkok elite sees folks such as Lao, Isaan, Burmese, or highland minorities as being a lesser form of life (many see Caucasians in the same way, you bloody gwailo too blind to see the obvious). The financial pain will be minimal. The only pain will be the funds for reimbursing the family of the deceased and the repair of the car, two expenses that will be equated in the minds of the family, will be spent in Thailand and not sent to offshore banks.

Sadly the truth & anyone disagreeing with it is maybe a tad naive or telling porky pies....

[NanLaew]

Sadly the truth & anyone disagreeing with it is maybe a tad naive or telling porky pies....

or better assimilated here.

[CHANGOVER]

350,000 baht. a drop in the bucket for the owner of a porsche cayman.

Sickening. It will probably cost more than that to repair the car.

Has this been confirmed as the "settlement figure" for the girl's death?

Unbelievable if it is the case. Any information about 'proceedings' against the perpetrator (I realise it's unlikely but...)?

[MSingh]

Amazing Laos/Thailand...

The mother has forgiven her daughter's killer and hugged him when he apologized to her while attending the girl's funeral.

She was smiling too which i thought was strange, then i remembered the $$.

[roamer]

Porsche Driver Turns Himself in

The driver of a brand-new Porsche who slammed into a 17 year old girl from Laos turned himself in to police yesterday.

The driver of a red-plated Porsche, Peerapol Thaksinthaweesap, who slammed into 17 year old Kambai Inthilat, surrendered to the Pathum Thani police yesterday.

The accident happened on Friday.

The driver said he was travelling at 120 kilometers per hour when the girl ran in front of his car.

He claimed there was a bus in the left lane so he could not see that the girl was about to cross the road.

Peerapol said he was in shock as the impact decapitated the girl's body.

The lower half of her body flew out the back windshield and landed in a ditch in the middle of the road but the upper half of her torso remained in the car.

He claimed he did not know what to do, so he drove on and then abandoned his car and took a taxi home.

The driver said he went to the hospital after the accident as he was hit hard in the chest by the air bag.

He claimed he did not try to escape, and that his insurance company has been trying to contact the family of the dead girl.

Peerapol promised to take full responsibility for his action.

The police have charged him with reckless driving causing death.

Police have approved bail for him, as he turned himself in.

-- Tan Network 2011-03-28

Amidst all the conspiracy theories here as to who was actually driving the car and the aftermath might I throw another one into the mix ?

I have highlighted above that the driver claimed he was injured when the airbag deployed. Nothing unusual there, its one heck of a force. What is unusual is the ability to drive 10K after airbag deployment as the Cayman has an inertia switch behind the airbag that trips when its deployed and cuts of the fuel pump. That is a primary safety measure. That car won't go anywhere under its own steam until its plugged into a computer at a Porsche dealers.

I have no answers to this, just pointing out there are more holes in this account than a piece of Swiss cheese.

[Foxxster]

Porsche Driver Turns Himself in

The driver of a brand-new Porsche who slammed into a 17 year old girl from Laos turned himself in to police yesterday.

The driver of a red-plated Porsche, Peerapol Thaksinthaweesap, who slammed into 17 year old Kambai Inthilat, surrendered to the Pathum Thani police yesterday.

The accident happened on Friday.

The driver said he was travelling at 120 kilometers per hour when the girl ran in front of his car.

The driver said he went to the hospital after the accident as he was hit hard in the chest by the air bag.

Amidst all the conspiracy theories here as to who was actually driving the car and the aftermath might I throw another one into the mix ?

I have highlighted above that the driver claimed he was injured when the airbag deployed. Nothing unusual there, its one heck of a force. What is unusual is the ability to drive 10K after airbag deployment as the Cayman has an inertia switch behind the airbag that trips when its deployed and cuts of the fuel pump. That is a primary safety measure. That car won't go anywhere under its own steam until its plugged into a computer at a Porsche dealers.

I have no answers to this, just pointing out there are more holes in this account than a piece of Swiss cheese.

I think also that if the airbag had deployed then it would have caused him to lose control of the car - the force / and the size of the airbag would have thrown his hands off the wheel, and caused a shock reaction that would have temporarily disabled him (for a couple of seconds at least)..and at the speed he was doing he would have ended crashing off the road.. Also, the damage to the front of the car - where the airbag sensors would be does not seem anywhere near enough for them to 'trip' and deploy the driver's airbag... there is barely a scratch to the front of the car..

[Buchholz]

Amazing Laos/Thailand...

The mother has forgiven her daughter's killer and hugged him when he apologized to her while attending the girl's funeral.

She was smiling too which i thought was strange, then i remembered the $$.

Interesting because when I saw that, I remembered the Thais often smile at times that are considered inappropriate by Westerners or that would be construed as mischievous smiling when it actually is just a different style of an ego defense mechanism to deal with unpleasant situations.

.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Buchholz

[whybother]

I think also that if the airbag had deployed then it would have caused him to lose control of the car - the force / and the size of the airbag would have thrown his hands off the wheel, and caused a shock reaction that would have temporarily disabled him (for a couple of seconds at least)..and at the speed he was doing he would have ended crashing off the road.. Also, the damage to the front of the car - where the airbag sensors would be does not seem anywhere near enough for them to 'trip' and deploy the driver's airbag... there is barely a scratch to the front of the car..

Maybe the girl jumped up to dive into the windscreen ...

[MSingh]

Amazing Laos/Thailand...

The mother has forgiven her daughter's killer and hugged him when he apologized to her while attending the girl's funeral.

She was smiling too which i thought was strange, then i remembered the $$.

Interesting because when I saw that, I remembered the Thais often smile at times that are considered inappropriate by Westerners or that would be construed as mischievous smiling when it actually is just a different style of an ego defense mechanism to deal with unpleasant situations.

.

Maybe they have, i wouldn't know..

She's not Thai though anyway..

[Buchholz]

Amazing Laos/Thailand...

The mother has forgiven her daughter's killer and hugged him when he apologized to her while attending the girl's funeral.

She was smiling too which i thought was strange, then i remembered the $$.

Interesting because when I saw that, I remembered the Thais often smile at times that are considered inappropriate by Westerners or that would be construed as mischievous smiling when it actually is just a different style of an ego defense mechanism to deal with unpleasant situations.

Maybe they have, i wouldn't know..

She's not Thai though anyway..

That's true, but then again, I've witness the same behavior while traveling throughout Laos, as well.

[MSingh]

She was smiling too which i thought was strange, then i remembered the $$.

Interesting because when I saw that, I remembered the Thais often smile at times that are considered inappropriate by Westerners or that would be construed as mischievous smiling when it actually is just a different style of an ego defense mechanism to deal with unpleasant situations.

Maybe they have, i wouldn't know..

She's not Thai though anyway..

That's true, but then again, I've witness the same behavior while traveling throughout Laos, as well.

The smiling bit, not Porsche's hit & running with half a Corpse on the Passenger Seat & failing to have any Criminal Charges brought against them you mean yeah ??

[Buchholz]

Interesting because when I saw that, I remembered the Thais often smile at times that are considered inappropriate by Westerners or that would be construed as mischievous smiling when it actually is just a different style of an ego defense mechanism to deal with unpleasant situations.

Maybe they have, i wouldn't know..

She's not Thai though anyway..

That's true, but then again, I've witness the same behavior while traveling throughout Laos, as well.

The smiling bit

you mean yeah ??

Yes, that's what we were talking about.

btw, I've not seen any roads in Laos capable of handling a Porsche.

[Netfan]

<br />Good points, Newermonkey, this is a common event and most of us made mistakes when we were just starting out driving. A boy was knocked down and killed stepping in front of a bus in the sleepy countryside where I grew up, it really can happen anywhere and causes mental health problems for the driver.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Sure, accidents happen but I never chopped anyone in half with my daddy's porsche and then made a half-assed apology in front of the media about it.

Class envy writ large. We would not be getting half this level of comments had it been an electrician in a Hilux pick-up.

An electrician in a Hilux would not be buying his way out of it. That is the point. Someone from this family cut a woman in half with their Porsche and what the country will learn from this, once again, is that privelage, money and a family name absolves one of responsibility for any action.

Edited March 31, 2011 by Netfan

[Cayenne]

Amidst all the conspiracy theories here as to who was actually driving the car and the aftermath might I throw another one into the mix ?

I have highlighted above that the driver claimed he was injured when the airbag deployed. Nothing unusual there, its one heck of a force. What is unusual is the ability to drive 10K after airbag deployment as the Cayman has an inertia switch behind the airbag that trips when its deployed and cuts of the fuel pump. That is a primary safety measure. That car won't go anywhere under its own steam until its plugged into a computer at a Porsche dealers.

I have no answers to this, just pointing out there are more holes in this account than a piece of Swiss cheese.

Hmm, interesting point. Actually I assumed the airbag was deployed given the nature of the impact and the hazard lights blinking; normally the Porsche has a crash sensor that automatically unlocks the doors, turns on the hazard lights, and shuts down the fuel system when an airbag deploys as you said. Unfortunately looking at the the photos and the video, there is no picture of the steering wheel and its tell tale airbag.

So I looked up under what circumstance would the airbag be deployed here . It states, "Airbags are not designed to deploy at a specific vehicle speed but rather at a set threshold of vehicle deceleration based on the vehicle’s design. If the forces meet or exceed the set threshold, the sensor switch closes, the control unit receives this signal and, if the internal safety sensor also closes, the control unit sends voltage to the airbag’s pyrotechnic charge, which ig­nites and deploys the airbag"

So if the airbags were not deployed (and hence the engine not cutting off), either the airbag was defective or, *gasp* the driver did not decelerate upon impact?

[canuckamuck]

So I looked up under what circumstance would the airbag be deployed here . It states, "Airbags are not designed to deploy at a specific vehicle speed but rather at a set threshold of vehicle deceleration based on the vehicle’s design. If the forces meet or exceed the set threshold, the sensor switch closes, the control unit receives this signal and, if the internal safety sensor also closes, the control unit sends voltage to the airbag’s pyrotechnic charge, which ig­nites and deploys the airbag"

So if the airbags were not deployed (and hence the engine not cutting off), either the airbag was defective or, *gasp* the driver did not decelerate upon impact?

I believe they are talking about deceleration caused by the impact. The airbags would be useless if they depended on human reaction time to hit the brakes.

Apparently the girl did not have sufficient mass to cause the Porsche to have a crash reaction. And the impact was once on the bumper, and once in the windshield, so that mass was divided as well.

[orosee]

Airbags are designed to save lives, not endanger them.

They would be worse than useless if you hit a deer, the airbag deploys, knocking your hands off the wheel and rendering you helpless for several seconds, and THEN you hit a tree at 50 km/h. So hitting a 40-50 kilo person should not trigger the airbag at all, nor should it significantly decelerate the car (simple conservation of impulse).

[SantiSuk]

<br />Good points, Newermonkey, this is a common event and most of us made mistakes when we were just starting out driving. A boy was knocked down and killed stepping in front of a bus in the sleepy countryside where I grew up, it really can happen anywhere and causes mental health problems for the driver.<br />

<br /><br /><br />

Sure, accidents happen but I never chopped anyone in half with my daddy's porsche and then made a half-assed apology in front of the media about it.

Class envy writ large. We would not be getting half this level of comments had it been an electrician in a Hilux pick-up.

An electrician in a Hilux would not be buying his way out of it. That is the point. Someone from this family cut a woman in half with their Porsche and what the country will learn from this, once again, is that privelage, money and a family name absolves one of responsibility for any action.

Good point. Agreed. It's a pity all the attention does not seem to have any impact on policymakers. Thailand desperately needs a sea change in its political outlook with politicians who reflect the outlook of ordinary people, not just the Thai-Chinese elite.

{See! I'm no apologist for the wealthy!}

[folium]

This is a desperately sad story but I think we are losing sight of the key issues.

Personally I know 2 people who have been involved in car accidents where a pedestrian has been killed. The victims were an elderly woman in Germany and a child in the UK. Shit does happen and the drivers involved bear the mental scars today and for the rest of their lives.

Both drivers were taken to court and faced a range of charges from reckless driving, to driving without due care and attention, to manslaughter or their equivalent. Both were acquitted on all charges, due to the fact that they were not DUI, speeding, breaking any driving laws and according to witnesses, were unable to prevent the accident due to the child running out in front of the car n one case, and the woman stepping out from between two parked vans in the other.

Both incidents were tragedies for all concerned but at least both incidents were brought before a court of law and ruled upon by the judge and jury.

In this case the 19 year old may have been sober, not speeding, driving with all due care and attention, yet a tragic accident occurred which he may not have been able to prevent.

So the big question is - will he face charges and have his day in court? Ironically for the 2 people I know, going to court and being acquitted was an essential part of coming to terms and dealing with the horror (and there is no other word to describe it, as I am sure this young man can attest to, especially given the horrific nature of this incident).

The rule of law makes a country what it is.

This apparent lack of the rule of law, is Thailand's greatest weakness and will be one of the root causes of its ultimate collapse into social unrest.

If this young man never gets to court it will be to his detriment and an appalling indictment of the state of Thailand's justice system.

So let's have less of the amateur CSI reconstructions, watch the video attached on an earlier post, be shocked and horrified by its contents, and wait to see if any court appearance happens.

If he has already had a day in court I apologise in advance. If he has not and looks likely not to, be of no doubt that the rule of law is indeed non-existent and therefore puts this country into the ranks of the lowest of the low.

[Oberkommando]

The rule of law makes a country what it is.

This apparent lack of the rule of law, is Thailand's greatest weakness and will be one of the root causes of its ultimate collapse into social unrest.

If this young man never gets to court it will be to his detriment and an appalling indictment of the state of Thailand's justice system.

So let's have less of the amateur CSI reconstructions, watch the video attached on an earlier post, be shocked and horrified by its contents, and wait to see if any court appearance happens.

If he has already had a day in court I apologise in advance. If he has not and looks likely not to, be of no doubt that the rule of law is indeed non-existent and therefore puts this country into the ranks of the lowest of the low.

Excellent post.

[jimbeam1]

The rule of law makes a country what it is.

This apparent lack of the rule of law, is Thailand's greatest weakness and will be one of the root causes of its ultimate collapse into social unrest.

If this young man never gets to court it will be to his detriment and an appalling indictment of the state of Thailand's justice system.

So let's have less of the amateur CSI reconstructions, watch the video attached on an earlier post, be shocked and horrified by its contents, and wait to see if any court appearance happens.

If he has already had a day in court I apologise in advance. If he has not and looks likely not to, be of no doubt that the rule of law is indeed non-existent and therefore puts this country into the ranks of the lowest of the low.

Excellent post.

Couldn't agree more. Spot on.

jb1

[atyclb]

350,000 baht. a drop in the bucket for the owner of a porsche cayman.

Sickening. It will probably cost more than that to repair the car.

Has this been confirmed as the "settlement figure" for the girl's death?

Unbelievable if it is the case. Any information about 'proceedings' against the perpetrator (I realise it's unlikely but...)?

Horrific event. Poor girl. Probably a nightmare for the driver also. Clearly he did not intend to kill anyone. Horrific also to have half a body in the passenger seat.

Terribly wrong to not stop and keep driving. Wrong to go into hiding.

In developed countries when someone dies in an accident the insurance sometimes companies compensate the vistims family by calculating lost earnings; thus a blue collar worker would be worth less than a high education person. It may seem cruel by lawyers commonly calculate dollar values for human beings. In a developed country the insurance company would pay out according to the limits of the policy. I guess additional money would need to be pursued as a civil case???

Leaving the scene might also be punishable. Noone will ever know if the driver was under the influence, even so I don't know that police would have tested him for that anyway had he not left the scene. Many here detest the perception of money being able to fix anything.

wikipedia

Vehicular or intoxication manslaughter

Vehicular manslaughter is a class C felony which holds people liable for any death which occurs because of criminal negligence, or a violation of traffic safety laws. A common use of the vehicular manslaughter laws involves prosecution for a death caused by driving under the influence (determined by excessive blood alcohol content levels set by individual U.S. states), although an independent infraction (such as driving with a suspended driver's license), or negligence, is usually also required.^[20][21]

In Wisconsin, a person who causes death with any type of motor vehicle while legally intoxicated may be liable and charged with homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle. Culpability lies with the perpetrator. In 2003 the maximum prison term for conviction on that charge was reduced from 40 years to 15 years imprisonment. The length of sentence is now equivalent to a charge and conviction in Wisconsin of second-degree reckless homicide.^[22] In Wisconsin, as in most states, vehicular homicide occurs when the act is not perpetrated during a felony, because driving whilst under the influence is not a felony.

In some U.S. states, such as Texas, intoxication manslaughter is a distinctly defined offence. A person commits intoxication manslaughter if he, or she, operates a motor vehicle in a public place, operates an aircraft, a watercraft, or an amusement ride, or assembles a mobile amusement ride while intoxicated and, by reason of that intoxication, causes the death of another by accident or mistake.^[23]

Intoxication manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and other similar offences require a lesser mens rea than other manslaughter offences. Furthermore, the fact that the defendant is entitled to use the alcohol, controlled substance, drug, dangerous drug, or other substance, is no defence.^[24] For example, in Texas, to prove intoxication manslaughter, it is not necessary to prove the person was negligent in causing the death of another, nor that they unlawfully used the substance that intoxicated them, but only that they were intoxicated, and operated a motor vehicle, and someone died as a result. The same rule of law applies in New York for vehicular manslaughter in the second degree.^[25]

[MSingh]

I had the displeasure of today coming accross online, a Video taken by Ambulance/Police or whatever they were, at the scene..

It was graphic & i didn't watch it all..

But what i did see was beyond horrific & i came to the conclusion that no Human Being on the Planet could leave the scene of that Accident, like exactly what happened, let alone drive on for a further 10km's with what happened with what was on the Passenger Seat.

I guess we really aren't all the same after all..

[CHANGOVER]

It has just been shown on Channel 7 (Thai TV) and they are blaming the death on the lack of bridges across the road. They filmed people running across the road and interviewed them. Even the poor girl's mother said it was because of the traffic speed and lack of a bridge - all true and unfortunately will continue.

Cynical I suppose but has the rich boy's father paid for this TV documentary to reduce/negate any sentence?