Car Crash Politics: Laws Don't Touch Rich In Thailand

[steveyinasia]

All the other facts may be rendered irrelevant for the spin doctors working overtime, dont worry they will be paid the overtime rates, the fact still remains this is a hit and run. Coward with deep pockets will never do any time.

[PETDCAT]

I wouldn't be surprised if this kid does some jail time. Not because he deserves it, but to save the brand. If it doesn't appear that He is being punished it could be a public relations nightmare for Red Bull. Obviously they can buy their way out of this in Thailand,but this is a Global brand and the rest of the world isnt as gullible as Thais. It takes a long time to build brand loyalty, and I don't think they would like to lose any of it so quickly. I wouldn't expect Him to do much time, but on the surface it must look like punishment. Maybe this is a good time for Him to became a Monk. Then again this scenario is based on this story staying alive outside Thailand.

[sunkist]

UZI to dinner or Ferrari at 200KPH. Both are deadly weapons in the hands of rich people. Think I would rather be shot. Most countries are lax on vehicular homicide in my opinion. Murder by vehicle is just as deadly as UZI.

[canuckamuck]

It's Thai DNA to run from an accident. Now you take that DNA and cross it with a person raised with "superior" values and you get "premeditated murder' committed with impunity and the assurance that someone else can take the fall or it will just be evaporated." The decision to "drag" the possibly still alive policeman was an implicit decision and premeditation to "shake him loose" from the car at all costs and to scramble for the home fortress to concoct the alibi. The policeman on the motorcycle may have broken his neck and died near the time of impact but dragging his body dead or alive through three football fields of urban cement and asphalt would break the neck and do the job for sure.

On second thought maybe the average ordinary folks in Thailand run from accidents because the precedent was set by the rich, to whom the law doesn't apply. The law is for ordinaries among ordinaries. Not superiors "forced" on occasion to navigate in the filthy, stupid world of the ordinaries.

Maybe the spin doctors are already in place as they now say it was the motorbike which was dragged along not the policeman who was supposedly killed instantly.

There is no way the policeman went under the Ferrari after being hit at high speed while riding a motorcycle. And you can see where he impacted the windscreen.

[transam]

It's Thai DNA to run from an accident. Now you take that DNA and cross it with a person raised with "superior" values and you get "premeditated murder' committed with impunity and the assurance that someone else can take the fall or it will just be evaporated." The decision to "drag" the possibly still alive policeman was an implicit decision and premeditation to "shake him loose" from the car at all costs and to scramble for the home fortress to concoct the alibi. The policeman on the motorcycle may have broken his neck and died near the time of impact but dragging his body dead or alive through three football fields of urban cement and asphalt would break the neck and do the job for sure.

On second thought maybe the average ordinary folks in Thailand run from accidents because the precedent was set by the rich, to whom the law doesn't apply. The law is for ordinaries among ordinaries. Not superiors "forced" on occasion to navigate in the filthy, stupid world of the ordinaries.

Maybe the spin doctors are already in place as they now say it was the motorbike which was dragged along not the policeman who was supposedly killed instantly.

There is no way the policeman went under the Ferrari after being hit at high speed while riding a motorcycle. And you can see where he impacted the windscreen.

Tend to agree and the ground clearance is a few if inches on this ride..

[ALFREDO]

Question. Has anyone ever seen a thai policeman given a speeding ticket to anyone? The only thing i ever see from the police is on thursday they will have a checkpoint to take money from motorbike drivers for wearing no helmet. This is money for them for the weekend.

I got few times a ticket for speeding on the Highways South West, South, East and North East from Bangkok - Isaan

but most times, I pay a cheaper price to the officer and get NO TICKET, just a smile!

[ALFREDO]

Times are changing.

Now Thaksin has inadvertently gave the proles a voice, incidents like this are not only going "viral" in the Thai media but people actually want to see this lad do serious time and will not be happy if he walks.

15 years ago this wouldn't even have been public news.

Maybe so, but to bring Thaksin and the Law-right-equal for everybody, close together, is already (to) much.

Same when the big Chalerm Yubamrung is outraged by the dishonesty of the incident. Completely forgetting, that he sits in a glasshouse with his sons and should not throw stones.

Did the Yubamrungs not had also a useful scapegoat in their murder story?

[Jaivin2011]

Saw one of the ealier comments by a poster suggesting to boycott Red Bull Drinks......well do not only boycott Red Bull but also all products ie wines and liquers from Siam Winery Company as its also owned by them. You should also boycott all restaurants and hotels that stock up on Siam Winery Products.

Anyway I guess that bloody driver must have been loaded on siam winery products and Red Bull before killing the victim in his Ferrari.

[ALFREDO]

I once got a ticket for using a Ratchada flyover on my bike. The SOB wouldn't take money. What a hassle! Had to ride to the station, pay the fine, then ride back to pick up my license.

So, you see.

Bribe has its advantages.

[Jaivin2011]

Actually everyone should stop blaming the guy and instead blame all drinkers of the unhealthy drink Red Bull which can actually cause a lot of health issues in the long term. Its these people who bought Red Bull who put money into the coffers of this guys family taht bought him the Ferrari and also the lifestyle if drinking and doing wahtevr he wants. Blame all Red Bull and Siam Winery consumers firsts.

[ALFREDO]

I remember once this Thai woman was angry at this Western guy and told me that he said, "As long as I have enough money, I can do anything in Thailand." I was surprised she got angry.

My girlfriend tells me the same thing everyday. "You should know I have money I can do anything in Thailand" and she stretches the annnyyyything out. And she gets angry also.

Take care! One time?

[marjanjukic]

+1

Question. Has anyone ever seen a thai policeman given a speeding ticket to anyone?

Yes, me. And it was legit.

[Thai at Heart]

Question. Has anyone ever seen a thai policeman given a speeding ticket to anyone? The only thing i ever see from the police is on thursday they will have a checkpoint to take money from motorbike drivers for wearing no helmet. This is money for them for the weekend.

I got a speeding ticket while driving to Korat. It was fully legal, the officer could show the measurement, and when I insisted that it was the speedo in the car that was wrong, he offered to drive past the speed trap again with me, to check if this was the case...

My bad luck was that it was not broke heheh

So yes, I have seen it, but only once in 8 years.

I received a ticket from a radar camera in the post. Picture and all with an indicated speed on it. Was taken near chokchai.

Paid it by post, but then spoke to a lawyer friend who said I never should have paid it since apparently these types of tickets aren't admissible in Thai Court.

They just bank on the fact that a fair percent will pay up.

[Thai at Heart]

Actually everyone should stop blaming the guy and instead blame all drinkers of the unhealthy drink Red Bull which can actually cause a lot of health issues in the long term. Its these people who bought Red Bull who put money into the coffers of this guys family taht bought him the Ferrari and also the lifestyle if drinking and doing wahtevr he wants. Blame all Red Bull and Siam Winery consumers firsts.

Bizarre logic. People who drink red bull are to blame?

Are u joking?

[redroo]

Lets hope they set an exsample with this rich kid.

[virtualtraveller]

He may not pay the full price of justice but it's going to cost him and his family, they can afford the money, but it will certainly compromise them. But times are changing, this might well be a 'tipping point' (to quote Malcolm Gladwell) you now have internet forums, it's gone global, there's a political movement screaming 'no double standards' the spotlight is on the country's leader to face up to his jail conviction rather than try and pull strings with his wealth and connections, and this comes on the back of two other similar high profile incident (prae wa the 16 year old, and Mu with his Merc, both spoilt young brats). I'll be interested to hear what Chalerm the crime buster is going to do about it (having fixed things once before for his own son). I think everyone is getting increasingly disgusted with this country, it's rich and it's poor law enforcement. The police are under the spotlight here, they've already been exposed as corrupt.

[marshbags]

All the other facts may be rendered irrelevant for the spin doctors working overtime, dont worry they will be paid the overtime rates, the fact still remains this is a hit and run. Coward with deep pockets will never do any time.

Facts unfolding and continuing as we debate......

Driver well over the legal limits and definitely way over the proven / defined levels relating to being in control.

Drove a high powered vehicle down the Soi at an uncontrollable speed, hit the rear of the police motor bike patrolman, inflicting horrendous and fatal injuries and continued as if nothing had happened… well had and he would have been fully aware of it.

Continued on his way in spite of being well aware of what he had done, didn,t stop and drove back to his home, hid his car out of sight, contacted his lawyer who in turn must have contacted Pol Lt Col Pannapon Nammuang, the Thong Lor police station inspector.

He in turn began fabricating the horrific truth to assist the offender by arresting one of his employed drivers who was to take his place and be used as a highly paid scapegoat.

This by the way in spite of the victim being one of his fellow police officers who was out on patrol !!!

The offender, his lawyer and the inspector attempted to manipulate the true cause of the accident, and who had been responsible for it.

In doing so they collectively committed unforgivable crimes, distress for the victims famliy ect. ect. and totally ignored their supposed values their positions supposedly represent in relation to upholding and respecting not only Thai law, but those of all who have been shocked and outraged at their actions lack of decency, total lack of compassion for the victim, his family, friends and associate police officers.

The offender being very wealthy and with it very influential instead of confessing to his involvement, abused his status and instead of accepting even the slightest responsibility, attempted by using his privilege to escape accountability.

The so called Puyai, elite and privileged along with their families and friends always get away with their crimes and if punished at all are rarely given jail time or if they are it is suspended and they arrogantly walk free, leaving the victims and their loved ones to indescribable suffering and pain to pay for their crimes.

The chances of this individual being given the sort of punishment he truly deserves are sadly very slim indeed.

He will along with his representatives voice and display phoney disingenuous regret, as was disgusting displayed at the victims funeral, and bribe his way out of the horrendous crime /s he committed.

May they all get one day receive their deserved Karma.

marshbags

P.S.

Was the windscreen damaged during the accident or maybe later along with other possible tampering before the police were alowed access to the property.….Hmmmmm

[bigbamboo]

Question. Has anyone ever seen a thai policeman given a speeding ticket to anyone? The only thing i ever see from the police is on thursday they will have a checkpoint to take money from motorbike drivers for wearing no helmet. This is money for them for the weekend.

Although I didn't see him writing anyone up, I did see a cop with a radar gun on the expressway.

I once got a ticket for using a Ratchada flyover on my bike. The SOB wouldn't take money. What a hassle! Had to ride to the station, pay the fine, then ride back to pick up my license.

Typical. There's never a dishonest policeman around when you want one.

As Boss and his family are now finding out.

[BirdsandBooze]

Actually everyone should stop blaming the guy and instead blame all drinkers of the unhealthy drink Red Bull which can actually cause a lot of health issues in the long term. Its these people who bought Red Bull who put money into the coffers of this guys family taht bought him the Ferrari and also the lifestyle if drinking and doing wahtevr he wants. Blame all Red Bull and Siam Winery consumers firsts.

Bizarre logic. People who drink red bull are to blame?

Are u joking?

You could take it even further and blame the company co founder, guiding hand and brains behind the Red Bull brand - Austrian Dieter Mateschitz whose idea it was to form a company with Boss' grandad, carbonate Krating Daeng and use his marketing skills to sell it to the world.

[BirdsandBooze]

Question. Has anyone ever seen a thai policeman given a speeding ticket to anyone? The only thing i ever see from the police is on thursday they will have a checkpoint to take money from motorbike drivers for wearing no helmet. This is money for them for the weekend.

Although I didn't see him writing anyone up, I did see a cop with a radar gun on the expressway.

I once got a ticket for using a Ratchada flyover on my bike. The SOB wouldn't take money. What a hassle! Had to ride to the station, pay the fine, then ride back to pick up my license.

Typical. There's never a dishonest policeman around when you want one.

As Boss and his family are now finding out.

And when you don't there's half a dozen standing in the road flagging you down.

[madmitch]

Interesting that the foreign media are covering this case. Not good for Thailand's "face".

[marshbags]

Interesting that the foreign media are covering this case. Not good for Thailand's "face".

This case due to it,s horrific circumstances has become yet another example case of many that continue to re enforce how unlawful this country is continuing to be and the shocking disparity and inequality there is...in efffect one law for the less priviledged and non enforcable law for the so called puyai / elite and priviledged who receive immunity and in effect the all clear to continue their lawreaking at will.

Social injustice of the highest order IMHO

I feel sure that the world outside Thailand is well informed on anything and everything of considered importance while the powers that be act and abuse their " considered lesser equals " as though it is an isolated independant country living in the 19th / 20th century and as such have an open book to do as they please, keep their much valued Thai face and be totally unaccountable to the international community and immune to outside criticism.

How wrong they are and eventually it will come back at them big time when the .

marshbags

P.S.

This along with all the negative publicity relating to foreigners in recent times will and does have an effect on tourism and what the embassies distribute in the way of advice for their respective citizens

[khaowong1]

I wouldn't be surprised if this kid does some jail time. Not because he deserves it, but to save the brand. If it doesn't appear that He is being punished it could be a public relations nightmare for Red Bull. Obviously they can buy their way out of this in Thailand,but this is a Global brand and the rest of the world isnt as gullible as Thais. It takes a long time to build brand loyalty, and I don't think they would like to lose any of it so quickly. I wouldn't expect Him to do much time, but on the surface it must look like punishment. Maybe this is a good time for Him to became a Monk. Then again this scenario is based on this story staying alive outside Thailand.

With his families money, he could pretty much buy any temple he wanted and then make himself the abbot. Hmmm.. no.. enough thoughts. I'm gone..

[Mosha]

But amazingly the driver of the car will amazingly amaze everyone and walk free. Amazing. Perfect time to make reform apparent, but it won't. What ever happened to acts like this being a crime against the state. Who cares about compensation for the family, that should be determined by the courts in addition to sentencing.

Amazing how the Thai legal and political systems get about scraping the backs of it's hands along the ground.

That's why TAT use Welcome to Amazing Thailand

[chooka]

Interesting that the foreign media are covering this case. Not good for Thailand's "face".

and not good for the Red Bull Corporation with all this bad media coverage using thier brand. Has there been any response from the european arm of the company.