Fatal Bangkok crash: Teenager sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for reckless driving

[webfact]

Deadly Car Crash Driver Escapes Jail Term
By Khaosod English


Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin Na Ayudhya (Photo by Matichon).

BANGKOK —The Appeal Court has handed down a suspended jail sentence and 48-hours of community service to the woman who killed nine people in a car accident in Bangkok three years ago.

Orachorn Thephasadin Na Ayudhya was 17 years old and driving without a license on a tollway in a Bangkok suburb when she crashed her car into a public minivan running the Thammasat University-Victory Monument route on 27 December, 2011. The crash killed nine people.

Ms. Orachon, commonly referred to as “Praewa” by the Thai media, was later convicted by the Court of First Instance for reckless driving leading to deaths, causing grievous bodily harms, and damaging property.

Although the punishment for the convictions amounts to two years in prison, the judges reduced the sentence to a suspended three-year prison term. She was also required to complete 48 hours of community service and barred from driving until she is 25.

The relatively light sentence caused an outrage across Thai social media, with many commentators voicing their suspicion that Ms. Orachon was spared from prison because of her influential family. The victims' family later filed an appeal.

Today the Appeal Court slightly increased the punishment handed down by the lower court, assigning Ms. Orachon a four-year suspended prison sentence with 48 hours of community service per suspended prison year.

In addition, the court has upheld the ban prohibiting Ms. Orachon from driving until she reaches 25 years of age.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1398146229


-- Khaosod English 2014-04-22

[SolarGolf]

I think this is the picture everyone is talking about: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TSQTktEQh80/TR3hIRpbbfI/AAAAAAAABYE/lLWm42aW_3k/s1600/218392.jpg

Not surprised she escaped a jail term considering the family.

[Tom420]

How much did this cost the family? Seriously, killed 9 and walks. Thai justice, payoff style.

A very well connected family, Just lucky she didn't go picking mushrooms with the elderly couple or she be in jail for 15 years,

what has happened to them?

Enlighten me about this mushroom incident as that one missed me? Tis that magic season soon and I for one will be going, again.

[Artisi]

Her community service could consist of attending a few road fatalities and assisting in cleaning up the mess, this might just bring about some attitude change to the little spoilt brat.

[djvolak]

The prison term, however, was commuted to four year probation instead with 48 hours of charity working for one year.

Seriously? No comment Words fail me

She appealed - those 6 days' community work and the driving ban is too harsh, huh?

What about the adult who gave her the car to drive?!?? If I hand a loaded gun to some teenage girl and she shoots somebody, wouldn't I be in trouble, too?

One thing is clear, some farmer's daughter would have no lawyer and no means to appeal. she would be rotting in jail...

If you had read and understood the article you would have noticed that it was the victoms families that appealed the sentance for being too lenient. I am sure if you go back and re read it it will all become clear. They did not do a good job of fixing it but they did do something.

[djvolak]

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Out of curiosity, what would be the punishment for 16 year old say in US or AU or UK?

Hard to say in OZ , after the do gooders are finished , probably the same out come

With a good lawyer, in the US, about the same. But the lawsuits would hammer the family for a while........

[djvolak]

"She appealed the sentence."

What an unpleasant little..................

Victims families appealed. Not the girl. They wanted harder sentance.

[djvolak]

Apparently she thinks that the sentence is still too harsh as she is appealing.

Edit: Realised that I misread that. This is the slightly increased sentence following her appeal of the original sentence.

She did not appeal. The victims families appealed hoping for time for the girl. Did not work out for them.

[Eliot Rosewater]

I remember this happening back in 2010 and had forgotten about it until now, again it seems like money rules of justice and people's lives obviously have a value in this country, what that price tag is is anybodies guess. But 9 deaths and she walks, that isn't just 9 people gone but also all of the people that loved those 9 people scarred for life as well I would assume. It begs belief.

There was a case in the US many years ago very close to where I am from; a very disturbed female decided that she would take her own life by crashing her car into the back of a car waiting at a light.

The two young men in the car which was hit died while she survived.

After many years of litigation she got off with probation and mental health conditions.

While many posters points about justice in this country are founded; this may not be one of them.

[djvolak]

Out of curiosity, what would be the punishment for 16 year old say in US or AU or UK?

I know of a 16 yr old in the US who was drunk, smashed his car into another head on and killed 2 people. This was his 2nd offense for drunk driving. He was given 25-to-life. Spent two yeas in Juvie, and when he turned 18, sent to an adult prison, where he was later knifed to death in a fight.

Wasn't poetic justice but it sure was a good case for direct Karma.

[krisb]

Out of curiosity, what would be the punishment for 16 year old say in US or AU or UK?

In the State of California for a similar offense a youth can be incarcerated up to the age of 25 in the California Youth Authority (CYA). However circumstances can mitigate a sentence, stolen vehicle and/or intoxication for example.

Australia possibly charged as an adult. More likely similar to the Thai punishment. Juvenile detention centre.

Can't ever recall an example where a minor killed 9 people. Then cause it was a female, possibly looked at less harshly then if it were a male.

Perhaps someone else could have a guess?

[WoopyDoo]

another BS 'get off cos your family is rich' incident.

Startling contrast to the person who was given 9 years in prison for selling a pirate CD that they found discarded in a rubbish bin for breech of copyright laws.

Yes, that person was a recycler who rakes through bins for a living.

Prison in Thailand is ONLY for the really poor.

[monkey4u]

Why not give this girl AND her parents the job of washing the bodies of motor accidents for 1 year

The reason I include the parents is they don't know how to rear kids

A size 11 boot may have been a good education for her

[rreddin]

The prison term, however, was commuted to four year probation instead with 48 hours of charity working for one year.

Seriously? No comment Words fail me

She appealed - those 6 days' community work and the driving ban is too harsh, huh?

What about the adult who gave her the car to drive?!?? If I hand a loaded gun to some teenage girl and she shoots somebody, wouldn't I be in trouble, too?

One thing is clear, some farmer's daughter would have no lawyer and no means to appeal. she would be rotting in jail...

If you had read and understood the article you would have noticed that it was the victoms families that appealed the sentance for being too lenient. I am sure if you go back and re read it it will all become clear. They did not do a good job of fixing it but they did do something.

The victims' families should not have had to appeal what was clearly an unduly lenient sentence. What was the prosecution doing? Even so, the sentence on appeal, although slightly increased, is still very lenient. It is sad to say the judicial sytem in Thailand has not come out of this well. Probably unintentionally, they have reinforced an already widely held perception that the wealthy and well connected get lenient treatment from the courts.

[Chicog]

Mr. MBK will be quietly wetting himself with laughter.

[khunPer]

»All are equal...«, but some appears to be more equal than others...

[Prbkk]

Much of what is repugnant about Thailand in the one story....

[bigbamboo]

"She appealed the sentence."

What an unpleasant little..................

No kidding!

You'd think she'd be prostrate on the floor thanking all the gods (and daddy of course) for her good fortune.

I wouldn't like to have to be the lawyer who tries to justify an appeal. With any luck she'll get an extra sentence for wasting the courts time, not to mention insulting the families of the deceased.

[The stuttering parrot]

So the family appealed and the court slightly increased the sentence to another year of prison suspended.

So that's it case closed with no other avenues of appeals left?

By the reports of the outrage this has caused you would if there was an avenue that someone would take the ball up for the victims and their families.

[bigbamboo]

^Pralaad SameSameButDifferent: The AFFLUENZA DEFENSE Lives On

16-yr old Texas teen gets 10 years’ probation for causing a DWI wreck that killed four people and devastated three families late 2013:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/12/the-affluenza-defense-judge-rules-rich-kids-rich-kid-ness-makes-him-not-liable-for-deadly-drunk-driving-accident/

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/10/5408563/teen-sentenced-to-10-years-probation.html?rh=1

Yes my understading is that in the state of Texas is that consuming beer while driving was not considered even an infraction until recently.

That's American beer for you.

Edited April 22, 2014 by bigbamboo

[HeavyDrinker]

Judging from the wife's facebook and her coven's topic of shrill chatter coming in from the garden about this topic, I don't think the Thai people are going to let this nonsense happen for much longer....

[kkerry]

Harsh sentences in Thailand are reserved for the really serious offenders, e.g. those who disrespect certain people... and lookout if you don't have a fancy name or lots of cash as take one wrong step and you're off to jail for a long time, no community service option for you.

[amerasian]

I think the mental anguish this young lady will carry with her for the rest of her life. Is sufficient punishment. Past is past. No reason to destroy her life, even more than it is. Western ideology does not fit in a Buddhist culture and it shouldn't fit in either. I understand restitution and revenge, when you go looking for revenge dig two graves, ........it was a tragic accident leave it at that.......

[laurentbkk]

what to say ..... 2 speeds justice in Thailand ... one for the wealthy ..one for the others ..... killing 9 people , no driving license etc ... and so little ????????? this is outrageous and this is what the red or yellow should fight about ... the impunity of those who rules.

[laurentbkk]

I think the mental anguish this young lady will carry with her for the rest of her life. Is sufficient punishment. Past is past. No reason to destroy her life, even more than it is. Western ideology does not fit in a Buddhist culture and it shouldn't fit in either. I understand restitution and revenge, when you go looking for revenge dig two graves, ........it was a tragic accident leave it at that.......

I just hope the families of the killed one will not read your comment ....... I am even speechless about it ... yes it was a tragis accident which could have been avoided by a little common sense by the little rich girl .... I prefer to remain polite .

[Thai at Heart]

I think the mental anguish this young lady will carry with her for the rest of her life. Is sufficient punishment. Past is past. No reason to destroy her life, even more than it is. Western ideology does not fit in a Buddhist culture and it shouldn't fit in either. I understand restitution and revenge, when you go looking for revenge dig two graves, ........it was a tragic accident leave it at that.......

Indeed. I am sure the families of the victims in their quieter moments, when they reminisce about their loss, feel exactly the same......

That was sarcasm by the way.

[HeavyDrinker]

I think the mental anguish this young lady will carry with her for the rest of her life. Is sufficient punishment. Past is past. No reason to destroy her life, even more than it is. Western ideology does not fit in a Buddhist culture and it shouldn't fit in either. I understand restitution and revenge, when you go looking for revenge dig two graves, ........it was a tragic accident leave it at that.......

Well done for imbecile post of the day. What does a lass causing nine deaths while in control of a vehicle she wasn't qualified to drive while gassing on her iPhone have to do with Buddhist culture or Western Ideology? Just what planet are you from?

[Tywais]

^Pralaad SameSameButDifferent: The AFFLUENZA DEFENSE Lives On

16-yr old Texas teen gets 10 years’ probation for causing a DWI wreck that killed four people and devastated three families late 2013:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/12/12/the-affluenza-defense-judge-rules-rich-kids-rich-kid-ness-makes-him-not-liable-for-deadly-drunk-driving-accident/

http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/10/5408563/teen-sentenced-to-10-years-probation.html?rh=1

Yes my understading is that in the state of Texas is that consuming beer while driving was not considered even an infraction until recently.

Off topic, but Texas has had an open container law on the books since 2001.

[Just1Voice]

I think the mental anguish this young lady will carry with her for the rest of her life. Is sufficient punishment. Past is past. No reason to destroy her life, even more than it is. Western ideology does not fit in a Buddhist culture and it shouldn't fit in either. I understand restitution and revenge, when you go looking for revenge dig two graves, ........it was a tragic accident leave it at that.......

Did you write that as sarcastic wit or a joke? No Thai I have known in my 6 years here, plus multiple visit prior to that, have anything even remotely resembling a sense of regret over their actions, and "conscience" is a word totally foreign to them. The only time she'll even think about this is when she's doing her "community service" (what a joke), and then her only feelings will be how this is so unfair to her when she should be out partying with her equally spoiled rich friends.

[pookiki]

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Out of curiosity, what would be the punishment for 16 year old say in US or AU or UK?

Hard to say in OZ , after the do gooders are finished , probably the same out come

With a good lawyer, in the US, about the same. But the lawsuits would hammer the family for a while........

I don't know about AU or the UK but in the US a civil suitagainst the parents would have been a sure thing. And as a minor, they would be responsible for her actions. This would be in addition to the criminal charges. As a 16 year old, I would think that a person in a similar situation may have been jailed until reaching the age of majority.