Phuket Van Crash Driver To Face Vehicular Manslaughter Charge

[webfact]

Phuket van crash driver to face vehicular manslaughter charge

Phuket Gazette

Phuket rescue workers recover tour van driver Tuan Russala Samae from the wreck. He will now face a charge of vehicular manslaughter. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Police today confirmed they will charge the driver of the Phuket tour van involved in the accident yesterday morning that claimed the life of a 9-year-old schoolgirl with reckless driving causing death.

Sub Lt Kraisorn Boonprasop told the Phuket Gazette this morning that Chalong Police officers were preparing their case against Tuan Russala Samae.

However, Lt Kraisorn added,“We have yet to press him with the charge. We are waiting for him to recover and then we will question everyone involved in the accident,” he said.

Lt Kraisorn said he had yet to question several people still in hospital recovering from injuries sustained in the accident.

“I have yet to talk to Mr Niphon Kaengin [the driver of the pickup truck involved in the accident], and I have yet to establish whether or not he is the father of Kullasatree Kaengin [the 8-year-old school girl injured in the crash].

“I have also yet to confirm whether or not Tuan Russala Samae [the tour van driver] and Makeesan Samae [the tour van passenger injured in the crash] are brothers,” he added

Tuan Russala is now at Vachira Phuket, recovering from surgery to correct a ruptured spleen.

“He is now out of the ICU and recuperating in an internal patient room,” a nurse at the hospital told the Gazette.

The accident claimed the life of Kulnaree Lattuada Lancini, a 9-year-old student at British International School (BIS).

Of the six survivors from the accident, 8-year-old schoolgirl Kullasatree remains under observation in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Bangkok Hospital Phuket.

“I have yet to be informed of when she will be discharged from the hospital or moved to another unit within the hospital. It all depends on her doctor,” a nurse at Bangkok Hospital told the Gazette this morning.

Meanwhile, Niphon Kaengin, the driver of the pickup truck involved in the accident, is recovering at Phuket International Hospital.

“Mr Niphon is currently in the ICU. He underwent an operation at 3pm [yesterday] to stem internal bleeding in the abdomen. He is getting better. He is breathing unaided and is responding well to stimuli,” hospital staff told the Gazette.

The two other students in the pickup truck at the time of the accident – Aoithip Sanguanthip, 13, and Prapathip Pengsakul, 15 – suffered only minor scratches and bruises in the impact.

Regardless, both were rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town as a precaution.

“Prapathip was discharged from the hospital on the morning of the accident after receiving first aid,” a staffer at Vachira Phuket confirmed.

“Aoithip is under observation in the Neurosurgical Unit. She is responding well to stimuli and only has bruises to her body and minor wounds on her legs,” a nurse confirmed.

Makeesan Samae, the sole passenger in the van at the time of the accident, is also at Vachira Hospital. He reportedly suffered only minor injuries in the accident.

“He is now recovering in the Osseous [bone] Surgery wing at the hospital,” a nurse confirmed to the Gazette.

Source: http://www.phuketgaz...arge-19603.html

-- Phuket Gazette 2012-11-30

related story:

Phuket Girl, 12, Feared Dead In Tour Van Crash

[RisqEM]

My condolences to the family of the lost girl and to the families of all injured.

Now to the political statement -

In 2010, a teenager from a rich, affluent family was driving under the legal age, without a license, when she hit a van and was found to be at fault in the deaths of nine people. She got a two year jail term and a suspended license until the age of 25.

http://www.thaivisa....ended-sentence/

This bus driver (details of the crash were not provided) was possibly responsible for the death of one wealthy child, and injuring other children (or it was possibly the fault of the driver of the pickup truck??). He faces possible manslaughter charges.

Be rich and kill nine regular people, buy a slap on the wrist. Be poor and kill one rich person, can't buy the officials, rot in jail for life. Amazing Thailand!!!

*sad but true

Edited November 30, 2012 by RisqEM

[Hunter88]

Do you really think the teenage girl form a rich family is actually in jail? I think not.

[JetsetBkk]

<snip>

Be rich and kill nine regular people, buy a slap on the wrist. Be poor and kill one rich person, can't buy the officials, rot in jail for life. Amazing Thailand!!!

<snip>

You might at least wait for the trial.

[stevenl]

First everybody on here is complaining, and saying that the should punish the drivers and pursue them with any means possible.

When that happens it is time to start complaining about other things.

Just be happy that, hopefully, something is done in this case.

[Tanaka]

Do you really think the teenage girl form a rich family is actually in jail? I think not.

No she is not and has not been in jail for one day. She got two years suspended sentence! So she can keep bragging to her friends how cool she is.

[Valentine]

Really heartbreaking to see a pink teddy bear which someone has placed at the scene of the accident. When elderly relatives pass away it is not totally unexpected although still sad. I cannot even begin to imagine the grief when losing a young child.

[stevenl]

Really heartbreaking to see a pink teddy bear which someone has placed at the scene of the accident. When elderly relatives pass away it is not totally unexpected although still sad. I cannot even begin to imagine the grief when losing a young child.

Yes, I really don't want to even think about that.

[osiboy]

so sad to hear of such a young girl being killed, no doubt she was not wearing a seatbelt as the driver was such an expert , i would ask "when will they ever learn?" but i think we all know,............they never will, life is so cheap here sadly ,RIP.