Son Of Red Bull Executive Arrested For Alleged Fatal Hit-And-Run Against Police

[xkmasada]

Daddy is the second richest man in Thailand!

Now think back to the controversy about the appointment of the National Police Chief (the boss of the Metropolitan Police, the man in charge of this hit-and-run case). Abhisit was handed a pretty hot potato that time, right? Looks like that investment is about to pay off.

[BKKBrit]

For those of you wishing and hoping and predicting that one day there will be a revolt against corruption, you all live in la-la land.

Opinion polls conducted by Abac continue to support this attitude.

The percentage of respondents who did not mind corruption by a government as long as they also benefit from it was 64 in January 2011, 64.6 per cent in November 2011, 64.7 per cent in January 2012, and 63.4 per cent in June 2012.

With those sorts of statistics, corruption isn't going to come to a grinding halt any day soon. And....ask any of your Thai friends for their opinion. Most will likely vent anger and disappointment. Ask them what they'll do about it...they will just shrug their shoulders.

[tragickingdom]

A Ferrari in BKK...perfect. Idiot driver. 500 baht fine.

Fines are for motorcycles and poor people, not for Ferrari drivers and other exotic car owners. A motorcycle boy who would accidentally have hit a policeman would have been dragged over the street beaten and sentenced to a few years, but not so with the ruling elite. This gentleman had a conversation for an hour, could take a shower wait till the booze was out of his system and he gets away with a payment to the family of a few hundred thousand baht at the most.

[catweazle]

We all know how it ends - larger sum paid to the family of Mr. Klanprasert - case closed. The super rich "Hi-So" kids basically can do what they want and remain unharmed. They learn their ignorant and selfish behaviour watching the Thai soaps and through mom and dad showing them how to deal with underprivileged employees, waiters, officials, etc. A sky high "Wai" is automatically given to anyone who drives a Porsche Cayenne, Mercedes and lives in a posh villa. In Thailand (and most other countries) status and money means everything, being a good and kind person is regarded to as "weak"...

RIP to the unfortunate policeman and his family.

[Ricardo]

Red Bull 'gives you wings', so you can fly away, presumably ?

Mrs R informs me, that the local Red-Bull slogan is "Hits the Target", and that this slogan is being repeated frequently, in connection with this case.

[peterdk]

Thai drivers !!

No freaking backbone in their bodies.

Oh shit, I have had an accident. Let me flee as fast as my damaged vehicle allows me, and if its bugged, oh I'll just make a run for it..

Where is it, that Thai's get taught it is a good thing to run away from a traffic accident they have been involved in ?

Is it the "you have to face the music" part that makes them flee ?

Or is it perhaps the likely extortionate compensations they have to fork over ? ( not thinking about this particular incident )

I wonder..

[Farangdam]

2 year probation and weekly social work..... not enough evidence...prosecutor cant prove anything.. the poor policeman not wearing retroflective vest... design error by ferari...erk.

[steveyinasia]

Here we go again, another untouchable will get away with the death of another. Unfortunately all the predictions listed here will come true and even more unfortunately, no one will really care to do anything about it.

[OzMick]

I'm sure Pol Lt-Colonel Panaporn will wish to attend the sergeant's funeral. He was so close..............to a few million baht.

[soi41]

When is the Thai middleclass going to wake up? And say enough is enough!! I know that corruption and cronyism is part of society here, but there must be a limit somewhere?? Or do they all have the dream about being the guy in the Ferrari and above the law, or are they all so krengjai, that they just bend over once more?

[terryp]

My prediction is..... 3 years in prison reduced to 2 years, then reduced to 3 years probation, that then reduced to 10 hours community service

which is then reduced to a 10 million baht family gift, finally he will become Mayor of Bangkok

The detail of the Accident are horrific a terrible way to die for the policeman

[robertson468]

Amazing how many Forum Members have tried and sentenced Boss, without knowing the details of the accident. Agree it doesn't look good that a cover-up has already been attempted, but it does not say "ipso facto" he is guilty. There just might be other factors that need to be considered in the case. C'mon "peps" engage brain before hitting the keyboard.

[Gillespie]

What is it with dads called Chalerm?

[catweazle]

Will the now inactive Mr. Pannaporn be displayed at the wall of shame? No, because even for trying to help the rich kid and giving a rat's a$$ about his dead fellow police colleague, his bank account by now will be in the seven or eight digits range. Being inactive or kicked out of the police force for him now is a very welcome side effect as it will give him the much needed time to spend his blood money...

Shame on the traitor - how low can you go?

[Gillespie]

Agree it doesn't look good that a cover-up has already been attempted, but it does not say "ipso facto" he is guilty....

Why would someone attempt a cover-up for an innocent man?

[webfact]

Red Bull heir suspected in deadly hit-and-run

BANGKOK — A grandson of the creator of the Red Bull energy drink is suspected of driving a Ferrari that struck and killed a policeman and then dragged the officer's body down a Bangkok street in a hit-and-run accident.

Police took Vorayuth Yoovidhya in for questioning Monday after tracing oil streaks for several blocks to his gated estate in a wealthy Bangkok neighborhood.

Police commander Lt. Gen. Comronwit Toopgrajank said he found the car on the compound of late Red Bull founder Chaleo Yoovidhaya, one of Thailand's wealthiest men before he passed away this year.

The officer was killed during a pre-dawn motorcycle patrol. Thai media reported that the car dragged the officer and his motorcycle for several dozen meters (feet) as it sped through the residential neighborhood.

Source: http://www.huffingto...land-red-bull-/

-- Huffington Post 2012-09-03

[Gillespie]

Also, isn't it sad that denizens of ThaiVisa can only be persuaded to say nice things about a Boy in Brown once he's dead?

[steelepulse]

Somehow I don't think Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrajang will be on Chalerm's Christmas card list this year, and quite possible a transfer to the deep South is forthcoming.

[indyuk]

just saw this car coming off the back of a low loader at Thonglor police station causing quite a stir with photographers etc.

In other news the head of Thonglor police station calls in architects to design his new multi billion Baht house that he will be able to build shortly.

How can a career police office afford to build a multi-billion Baht house. Where exactly in the Thai economy could such huge sums of money come from.

[carra]

I wonder who took the policemans gun, it says that was missing from the body

[Tatsujin]

Amazing how many Forum Members have tried and sentenced Boss, without knowing the details of the accident. Agree it doesn't look good that a cover-up has already been attempted, but it does not say "ipso facto" he is guilty. There just might be other factors that need to be considered in the case. C'mon "peps" engage brain before hitting the keyboard.

Just making comments based on the details known and reported to date . . . what's wrong with that?

It's a public forum here isn't it . . . or are we all supposed to keep our thoughts and opinions to ourselves now????

[catweazle]

Amazing how many Forum Members have tried and sentenced Boss, without knowing the details of the accident. Agree it doesn't look good that a cover-up has already been attempted, but it does not say "ipso facto" he is guilty. There just might be other factors that need to be considered in the case. C'mon "peps" engage brain before hitting the keyboard.

Doesn't just the simple sound of the name BOSS ring a bell in your brain? I am quite sure that Ferrari driving Boss is most probably the nicest and kindest person you can find on this planet... Just the pure facts of that story back it all up, don't they?

[lomatopo]

Does anyone know how old the son (driver) is?

What model Ferrari is that? FF?

Perhaps it was new and he was unfamiliar with both the extraordinary power and controls (clutch specifically)?

Not that this excuses any blame in the original incident or subsequent flight.

BTW I do understand the flight as it might be easy to imagine immediate justice being dispensed on the scene, by an outraged crowd.

[Tatsujin]

just saw this car coming off the back of a low loader at Thonglor police station causing quite a stir with photographers etc.

In other news the head of Thonglor police station calls in architects to design his new multi billion Baht house that he will be able to build shortly.

How can a career police office afford to build a multi-billion Baht house. Where exactly in the Thai economy could such huge sums of money come from.

That was sarcasm . . . implying that the policeman in question will be paid off to not do anything and then he'll be able to afford to build his nice new house with the blood money received.

[carra]

just saw this car coming off the back of a low loader at Thonglor police station causing quite a stir with photographers etc.

In other news the head of Thonglor police station calls in architects to design his new multi billion Baht house that he will be able to build shortly.

How can a career police office afford to build a multi-billion Baht house. Where exactly in the Thai economy could such huge sums of money come from.

Are you serious? it is tongue in cheek based on how much they will need to pay to buy their way out of this

[ishan14]

It's dumb how these guys think that money can do anything. I'm sure if this was a normal guy ,he wouldnot (even in his wildest dreams) think of hitting a policeman. but in thailand these guys TALK to a guy who just hit a cop and BEAT THE SH*T OUT of a person who is jus a "suspect" of drug use.

[catweazle]

Amazing how many Forum Members have tried and sentenced Boss, without knowing the details of the accident. Agree it doesn't look good that a cover-up has already been attempted, but it does not say "ipso facto" he is guilty. There just might be other factors that need to be considered in the case. C'mon "peps" engage brain before hitting the keyboard.

Just making comments based on the details known and reported to date . . . what's wrong with that?

It's a public forum here isn't it . . . or are we all supposed to keep our thoughts and opinions to ourselves now????

Brief and to the point - well said!

[hawker9000]

Should be out on bail by now

Too right. There'll be some smoke and noise, and then privilege will have its way.

[peterdk]

Does anyone know how old the son (driver) is?

What model Ferrari is that? FF?

Perhaps it was new and he was unfamiliar with both the extraordinary power and controls (clutch specifically)?

Not that this excuses any blame in the original incident or subsequent flight.

BTW I do understand the flight as it might be easy to imagine immediate justice being dispensed on the scene, by an outraged crowd.

Looks like Clarkson's favourite model; a Ferrari 458 Italia.

Below is Ossie Osbourne in his.

[indyuk]

Crime inspector of Thonglor police station seconded for trying arrest scapegoat

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Metropolitan Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Kamronwit Thoopkrajang Monday seconded Pol Lt Col Pannapon Nammuang, a crime suppression inspector of Thonglor Police station, to an inactive position at the Metropolitan Police.

Kamronwit said Pannapon tried to have someone to pretend to be the driver of the car that hit and killed Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wichien Klanprasert of Thonglor police station.

"This was unacceptable for him to set up for an arrest of a scapegoat. He ignored the death of his subordinate," Kamronwit said.

Kamronwit said Pannapon would be indefinitely seconded to the Metropolitan Police head office.

-- The Nation 2012-09-03

If this story is true then the Pannapon is a criminal. Yet his punishment is a transfer to administration. Please tell me somebody that this is a joke.