Tollway Crash Teenager Gets Two-Year Suspended Sentence

[Lite Beer]

HORRIFIC TOLLWAY CRASH

Teenager gets two-year suspended sentence

File photo : Remain of the van

BANGKOK: -- The Youth and Family Court on Friday sentenced a teenage girl involved in a high-profile car crash in which nine people were killed to two years in jail.

The penalty was suspended for three years and the teenager is banned from driving until she is 25 years old.

Initially she was sentenced to three years imprisonment but the court reduced it to two years as the defendant’s testimony helped the trial.

Nine people were killed on the night of December 27, 2010, when a Honda Civic, driven by the defendant who was 16 at the time, collided with a passenger van on the Don Muang tollway.

The van then crashed into a barrier near the Bang Khen exit and some passengers were thrown from the vehicle and over the barrier onto the road several metres below.

-- The Nation 2012-08-31

[Tatsujin]

Typical. Rich or well connected family, you can get away with murder here. Nothing changes.

[macksview]

Typical. Rich or well connected family, you can get away with murder here. Nothing changes.

too true, nothing changes, the justice (or lack of justice system), just continues to perpetuate itself in all its ugliness.

[sjjmmi]

Money talks here

[aguy30]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

Edited August 31, 2012 by aguy30

[scorecard]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

Agree, and I wonder whether there has been any compensation awarded as part of the court decision. Very little detail and the points any professional journalist would ensure are in the story are all missing, so typical of the poor reporting from the Nation which never seems to improve.

Anybody found any details on this aspect on any other boards? Please share.

[JeremyBowskill]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

You can bet the many millions of baht bit happened already or she would not of got this sentence!

[bkkjames]

Unsurprisingly Disgusting! 0 justice for the dead.

(btw, this tragedy is the reason why you can no longer do the entire driving license exam and test is one day as was explained to me recently at DLT. Now if you want to go out and kill someone on the roads, you have to wait another day to do it <deleted>.)

[MEL1]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

You can bet the many millions of baht bit happened already or she would not of got this sentence!

You can't bet anything! Maybe daddy's brother is a lawyer with contacts, and a slate owed by Jattuphon......... you never know in Thailand!!

However, it is plain and outright disgusting that people were subjected to the deaths they did, because of an under-aged, illegal and inexperienced driver who walks away scott free. Disgusting isn't the word. Worthy of vomit is a close second.

-mel.

[kotsak]

"Initially she was sentenced to three years imprisonment but the court reduced it to two years as the defendant’s testimony helped the trial."

It didn't help the dead though, did it?

TIT!!

[ManInSurat]

This is outrageous. No other word for it.

Is the fact she was 16 at the time helping reduce her sentence here? I do know that 14-18 is the age you would enter a youth correctional facility. So they do make a distinction between adults and youths and would have different sentencing.

She should serve her term now. In full. No excuses or suspensions. Adequate compensation should be paid to the families involved. Sadly neither of these things have happened and it's not in the least bit surprising.

[MEL1]

This is outrageous. No other word for it.

Is the fact she was 16 at the time helping reduce her sentence here? I do know that 14-18 is the age you would enter a youth correctional facility. So they do make a distinction between adults and youths and would have different sentencing.

She should serve her term now. In full. No excuses or suspensions. Adequate compensation should be paid to the families involved. Sadly neither of these things have happened and it's not in the least bit surprising.

No. She helped the BIB work out what happened. That's huge Brownie points in Thailand, as they haven't got a clue.

She helped the investigation when she said, "Oh Shit, I'm out of control, I'm gonna hit a van and kill people!"

For that, she got a recommendation, and five + points on her licence when she gets it back in 2563............ as likely she'll get it back for 1,000 baht next year, 2556!

-mel.

[ManInSurat]

This is outrageous. No other word for it.

Is the fact she was 16 at the time helping reduce her sentence here? I do know that 14-18 is the age you would enter a youth correctional facility. So they do make a distinction between adults and youths and would have different sentencing.

She should serve her term now. In full. No excuses or suspensions. Adequate compensation should be paid to the families involved. Sadly neither of these things have happened and it's not in the least bit surprising.

No. She helped the BIB work out what happened. That's huge Brownie points in Thailand, as they haven't got a clue.

She helped the investigation when she said, "Oh Shit, I'm out of control, I'm gonna hit a van and kill people!"

For that, she got a recommendation, and five + points on her licence when she gets it back in 2563............ as likely she'll get it back for 1,000 baht next year, 2556!

-mel.

Did they have to rely on her testimony alone as she was the only one left alive at the scene?

You shouldn't be given any leniency for explaining how you manage to kill 9 people whilst illegally driving a car. For an admission of guilt, OK. Not for anything else.

You're quite right, I could buy a driver's lisence tomorrow if I wanted to. That's exactly what's going to happen here, if she isn't on the road already, with blacked out windows.

These people are above the law, they know it and they don't give a toss who else knows. It's so brazen!

[maprao]

oops I started another topic about this sorry MODS.

[siampreggers]

She's probably driving the owners of Santika to their new night club to celebrate as we speak.

[KireB]

What punishment would be fair for a young girl of her age? Should she be put in prison for the rest of her life as an example for the other underage drivers around or should the one that gave the keys to that Civic go to jail?

Sorry to say that this sentence doesn't come as a surprise, just a confirmation.

Edited August 31, 2012 by KireB

[DocN]

Pfffffft...surprise, surprise! Killing 9 people with a car you are not even old enough drive...2 years suspended! Amazing Thailand!

[JeremyBowskill]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

You can bet the many millions of baht bit happened already or she would not of got this sentence!

You can't bet anything! Maybe daddy's brother is a lawyer with contacts, and a slate owed by Jattuphon......... you never know in Thailand!!

However, it is plain and outright disgusting that people were subjected to the deaths they did, because of an under-aged, illegal and inexperienced driver who walks away scott free. Disgusting isn't the word. Worthy of vomit is a close second.

-mel.

Having been through the courts here and experienced Thai justice first hand my money is still on that she probably paid through the nose for her mistake, not that this in any way changes the fact that its clearly wrong the sentence she has been given and she should be in a cell now eating maggotts.

[Mario2008]

1 post deleted advocating violence.

[arkom]

2 year-suspended sentence, is that the going rate causing the deaths of 9 people? What a joke.

[bangkockney]

Outrage is understandable. But, there's a lot of Thailand bashing too.

Around the world, death by dangerous driving is generally dealt with fines, suspended sentences and suspensions. It's rare for a custodial sentance.

The bigger question is why have the charge of DBDD - without it everyone would catch manslaughter charges which carry custodial sentences.

[Mario2008]

It is good to see that Thailand protects children and adhere's to the treaty on the rights of the child. Especially regarding youngsters the aim of the law is not to punish, but to correct wrong behaviour.

Let's not forget this isn't murder, as some seem to want to make out of it. It was a very, very tragic accident. And don't forget that driving by minors is not exactly rare in Thailand and it are often the adults who fail to act against it.

[JeremyBowskill]

just read 120 million baht to be divided between the 9 victims families.

[richard_smith237]

What concerns me about this sentence is not the fact that a 16 year old girl has been handed the sentence of that of a minor - thats fair enough.

No responsibility or blame has been laid at the hands of those who were in her charge and permitted her to drive the car in the first place.

If a parent allows an 8 year old to play with a live gun and the 8 year old kills 9 people in the process who is really to blame ?

IF a 16 year old child is being tried as a minor, someone is then responsible for allowing her to drive the car illegally.

What is really concerning is that there appears to be no learning. No message to other parents that by allowing their child to drive a vehicle underage they themselves are accountable and are breaking the law.

[mightyharriss]

ridiculous....

[Mario2008]

1 anti-Thai post deleted.

[bangkockney]

What concerns me about this sentence is not the fact that a 16 year old girl has been handed the sentence of that of a minor - thats fair enough.

No responsibility or blame has been laid at the hands of those who were in her charge and permitted her to drive the car in the first place.

If a parent allows an 8 year old to play with a live gun and the 8 year old kills 9 people in the process who is really to blame ?

IF a 16 year old child is being tried as a minor, someone is then responsible for allowing her to drive the car illegally.

What is really concerning is that there appears to be no learning. No message to other parents that by allowing their child to drive a vehicle underage they themselves are accountable and are breaking the law.

I agree with this from a moral point of view.

However, do you know of any country where your last paragraph holds true? I don't.

And how do you prove parental consent for the minor to drive?

[whistleblower]

It is good to see that Thailand protects children and adhere's to the treaty on the rights of the child. Especially regarding youngsters the aim of the law is not to punish, but to correct wrong behaviour.

Let's not forget this isn't murder, as some seem to want to make out of it. It was a very, very tragic accident. And don't forget that driving by minors is not exactly rare in Thailand and it are often the adults who fail to act against it.

Its not rare its against the law, Driving ages are set for a reason.

[Katipo]

Suspended sentence and banned from driving? She wasn't meant to be driving anyway. So tell me again how exactly has she meant to have been punished?

[whistleblower]

I wonder why the hi-so people act as if they can get away with anything. Because they can?

A suspended sentence. Forty eight hours of community service. Outrageous and disgusting, even for Thailand's judicial system! Jail time and many millions of baht in compensation was a realististic sentence.

You can bet the many millions of baht bit happened already or she would not of got this sentence!

You can bet it hasn't! Has money been paid? sure but i bet you it wasnt millions maybe 200k each victim? life sadly is cheap in thailand.