Bangkok: Redbull heir indictment postponed for 5th time

[webfact]

Redbull heir indictment postponed for 5th time
By Coconuts Bangkok



BANGKOK: -- The indictment of the notorious Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya, who allegedly killed a police officer in a hit-and-run last year, has been postponed yet again.

Voice TV journalist Weeranan Kanhar reported on Twitter that the indictment has been postponed for a 5th time until September 2 at 10AM.

The statute of limitations for the speeding charge against Vorayuth is due to expire on September 3.

The defendant cited illness as the reason for the latest postponement.

The prosecutor has also been ordered to not conclude the case yet due to unfinished document prep by police.

Vorayuth, grandson of Red Bull energy drink founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, allegedly rammed his Ferrari into Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian [read more...]

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2013/08/26/redbull-heir-indictment-postponed-5th-time

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2013-08-26

[Pimay1]

Why am I not surprised?

[gl555]

Billionaires here don't get indicted, let alone convicted.

[Zolt]

If he makes it to September 3, he's out free.

[laurentbkk]

oh well I think this story will be HISTORY soon ......

[bigbamboo]

This was as predictable as England winning the Ashes.

There may be a twist though. Little Bull and his lawyers probably though that by playing the sick card he'd go beyond the Sept 3 deadline. It will be interesting to see what happens on Sept 2.

[Pimay1]

Is this the only thing this guy is being charged with? What about manslaughter and hit and run?

[Redhawk]

Another example how as the law is diffracted for some members above the society, disgusting!

[Tatsujin]

This was as predictable as England winning the Ashes.

There may be a twist though. Little Bull and his lawyers probably though that by playing the sick card he'd go beyond the Sept 3 deadline. It will be interesting to see what happens on Sept 2.

Still sick, important business trip to Cambodia, didn't wake up in time, didn't feel like it, documents not prepared, good lie not agreed on ... take your pick, any one of those will be used on the 2nd

[Songhua]

The shock of it is making me feel nauseus.

Who would've thought, eh?

[gemini81]

family of the deceased; keep some of that cash for baseball bats & ski masks.......

Judges are as much a coward as him. Never saw a nation where so much of the male population are such cowards. Maybe if they had been in more wars or toughened up by a harder life & had to fight for things, people would be more brave, and respond to injustices more appropriately.

[ava15]

(Un) believable

[moe666]

If he makes it to September 3, he's out free.

No just the speeding part

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The prosecutor has also been ordered to not conclude the case yet due to unfinished document prep by police.

Ordered by whom? What kind of person/persons have the authority to direct the public prosecutor how to handle a case???

Presumably someone of some stature in government???

[BwindiBoy]

Thailand, you are in danger of becoming even more embarrassing, disgusting and distasteful than you have grown to be over the last few years. Our relationship may be over, come September 3rd.

"It was the 3rd of September...a day I'll always remember... That was the day; the day that Thailand died..."

[beenhere2long]

sadly this low life scum bag is going to get off scot free..as many predicted..the best that anyone can hope for is that the guy he killed pays him a visit every time he sleeps...

[ava15]

Or a hired goon pays him a visit

Bangkok needs a bruce wayne type

[NongKhaiKid]

If he makes it to September 3, he's out free.

No just the speeding part

I hope someone can clear this up but the other day when there was a thread on this subject it was suggested the deceased's family had accepted B3 million compensation and were no longer interested in proceedings.

I don't know about Thailand when they make it up as they go along but a prosecution for the death etc. could still go ahead in the public interest

[NongKhaiKid]

Why am I not surprised?

and if he gets away with this and all the other charges there will be no shame shown by anyone.

[farang000999]

I wonder how everyone here would react if they are involved in a road side accident?

[Nickymaster]

Why am I not surprised?

and if he gets away with this and all the other charges there will be no shame shown by anyone.

For sure no shame. If he get's away with it, it's because he had the best connections. Thais in general are proud of their connections not ashamed.

Whhhoaw!! You got away with murder! Well done!

[NongKhaiKid]

As an ex-cop with 30 years service it hurts me to think the deceased's family may ignore justice for him and his memory as part of a compensation deal and that he may be let down by the system, judges, prosecutors and those wearing th same uniform because someone has crossed their palms with silver BUT

this is Thailand where the most important things are face, the social pecking order and making money.

[MaxLee]

Case closed, and free due to lack of evidence

[clockman]

family of the deceased; keep some of that cash for baseball bats & ski masks.......

Judges are as much a coward as him. Never saw a nation where so much of the male population are such cowards.Maybe if they had been in more wars or toughened up by a harder life & had to fight for things, people would be more brave, and respond to injustices more appropriately.

They can only fight, when the odds are three to one!

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's one of the prior news reports on the payment to the family of the dead traffic cop:

Red Bull family reaches hit-and-run settlement

By AP News Sep 26, 2012 5:44PM UTC

BANGKOK (AP) — Thai police say the billionaire family of the Red Bull energy drink heir accused of killing a police officer in a hit-and-run has struck a deal that will pay the officer’s siblings less than $100,000.

Vorayuth Yoovidhya is charged with driving the Ferrari that struck the officer and dragged his body down a Bangkok street earlier this month.

Police Lt. Col. Viradon Thubthimdee says the Yoovidhya’s have paid the officer’s siblings 3 million baht ($97,000). He said Wednesday the settlement will protect Vorayuth from a civil lawsuit.

The payment is being viewed by many as a pittance for a family worth $5.4 billion. It will likely do little to quell public outrage over the incident and an initial attempt to cover up Vorayuth’s alleged involvement by arresting a bogus suspect.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/89944/red-bull-family-reaches-hit-and-run-settlement/

[partington]

It is so absurd to postpone the decision of whether there is a case to answer or not on five consecutive occasions that it is clearly part of a strategy.

I would guess that the sixth postponement will occur on 2nd September, and the statute of limitations on the speeding charge runs out on the next day.

Prosecutors declare they cannot indict on speeding charge as the statute of limitations has run out. As all other charges derive directly from the speeding charge, they declare they cannot indict on the other charges, since they cannot try or prove the charge that all other charges depend on.

Just guessing. This is a deeply strange country.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Dunno how this is going to ultimately turn out next week...

But if this guy ends up walking because his fellow police officers failed, for whatever reason, to properly complete the investigation and documents in the case, that will be the ultimate irony.

It will also clearly tell everyone everything they need to know about how both Thailand and the RTP operate.

[kirk0233]

At least the police are fullfilling the demands of Vorayuth Yoovidhya's bribe and delaying the proceedings accordingly.

[Berek]

I think I read that if he's done for speeding (and or drugs) he can be charged with murder but if not he can only be charged with involuntary manslaughter. Hopefully I'm not mistaken.

[Thai at Heart]

And they get worried about this or that causing damage to Thailand reputation.

One of the necessities of a functioning society is a functioning legal system. This shows Thailand for what it is.

Corrupt to the core.