New evidence surfaces in Chuwong’s unusual death

[webfact]

New evidence surfaces in Chuwong’s unusual death



BANGKOK: -- A new evidence surfaced in the unusual death of construction billionaire Chuwong Sae Tang after his sister and son released a video clip Monday morning showing he fastened his seat belt in the van driven by the former Nakhon Sawan MP.

At a press conference called by Chuwong’s elder sister and son, and chaired by their lawyer, they showed the video clip which they obtained to media representatives to support their belief that Chuwong’s death was not an accident.

They said the clip showed the former MP Pol Lt Col Bunyin Tangphanich came to pick up Chuwong at a place before the car crash.

In the clip, they said Chuwong was seen fastened his seat belt as soon as he entered the van driven by the former MP.

Many people in the place also saw Chuwong fastened the seat belt.

But they said there was no proof yet if after the van crash, he still was fastened to the seat belt.

They wanted the police or those first responded to the crash to confirm if he was still fastened to the safety belt.

But his sister said Chuwong would fasten seat belt every time he was in the car, citing two past serious accidents that safety belt had saved his life.

She wanted the police to say exactly if safety belt was fastened to his body or not at the crash scene.

Earlier the family petitioned the Royal Thai Police commissioner to replace the chief investigator of the van crash reasoning that the chiuef investigator was Pol Lt Col Bunyin’s classmate at Police Cadet Academy.

But the petition was rejected with reason that investigation was carried out straight forwardly based on evidence which nobody could twist.

Meanwhile a lawyer of one of the two girls who received over 200 million baht worth of shares transferred to her by Mr Chuwong a few days before his death also petitioned the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) police today requesting that the CSD withdraw the order freezing any transaction of the 9.5 million shares.

The lawyer reasoned that the freezing of the share transaction by the CSD since July 17 has now caused damage of up to 16 million baht in loss of the share values when they could not be traded on the stock market by his client, the girl who received the shares from Mr Chuwong.

The CSD will question officials of the Securities and Exchange Commission about the share transfer today to find out if the legal process of the share transfer.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/new-evidence-surfaces-in-chuwongs-unusual-death


-- Thai PBS 2015-08-03

[fritzzz25]

The EDR (Event Data Recorder) download would tell if the tell if the seatbelt was in use. It appears from the photo that the vehicle is a newer Lexus.

http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM30786U/pdf/implex.pdf

Event data recorder
Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects of your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining optimal vehicle performance. Besides storing data useful for troubleshooting, there is a system to record data in a crash or a near car crash event. This is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR).
The SRS airbag sensor assembly contains the EDR. In a crash or a near car crash event, this device may record some or all of the following information:

Engine speed

Whether the brake pedal was applied or not

Vehicle speed

To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed

Position of the transmission selector lever

Whether the driver and front passenger wore the seat belts or not

Now, as we saw with the incompetence of the Ko Tao murder investigation, it makes one wonder if the police did a download of this information.

Edited August 3, 2015 by fritzzz25

[Fat Haggis]

why did they video him getting into the car? Is this a normal practice for them ? As in videoing him leaving home daily?

Sounds a bit weird?

[ratcatcher]

"But the petition was rejected with reason that investigation was carried out straight forwardly based on evidence which nobody could twist."

Right then, and in other news Paul McCartney announced a final concert tour of The Beatles.

[JoePai]

why did they video him getting into the car? Is this a normal practice for them ? As in videoing him leaving home daily?

Sounds a bit weird?

Only if he is going to have an accident

[zaphod reborn]

The moderate damage to the driver's side of the front-end of the Lexus van wouldn't be consistent with a front-seat passenger death, even if he wasn't seat-belted. I'm sure experts from Lexus, if allowed to inspect the van, could draw all kinds of conclusions, based on passenger compartment damage, lack of airbag deployment, and data from the EDR. But, this cover-up is a foregone conclusion. Might as well let the pretties liquidate their shares - another Thai businessman offed so that others can spend his fortune.

[laocowboy2]

The EDR (Event Data Recorder) download would tell if the tell if the seatbelt was in use. It appears from the photo that the vehicle is a newer Lexus.

http://drivers.lexus.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM30786U/pdf/implex.pdf

Event data recorder

Your vehicle has computers that monitor and control certain aspects of your vehicle. These computers assist in driving and maintaining optimal vehicle performance. Besides storing data useful for troubleshooting, there is a system to record data in a crash or a near car crash event. This is called an Event Data Recorder (EDR).

The SRS airbag sensor assembly contains the EDR. In a crash or a near car crash event, this device may record some or all of the following information:

Engine speed

Whether the brake pedal was applied or not

Vehicle speed

To what extent the accelerator pedal was depressed

Position of the transmission selector lever

Whether the driver and front passenger wore the seat belts or not

Now, as we saw with the incompetence of the Ko Tao murder investigation, it makes one wonder if the police did a download of this information.

Almost as if someone does not want the full information to emerge? This whole thing fails the 'smell test'big time. Fortunately the family has no intention of letting things slip.

[Misterwhisper]

"The lawyer reasoned that the freezing of the share transaction by the CSD since July 17 has now caused damage of up to 16 million baht in loss of the share values when they could not be traded on the stock market by his client, the girl who received the shares from Mr Chuwong."

Oh that poor girl! Now she has allegedly lost 16 million Baht by being unable to trade stocks that were gifted to her for FREE in the first place - and totally unexpected and out of the blue, as she had insisted earlier.

I wonder what alleged damages she would claim if she had NOT received any free shares at all.

Shut up, lawyer! If your client turns out to be clean and not have anything to do with Chuwong's rather suspicious demise, the shares will be released eventually - and even if their value may have fallen by then, she will still receive a sizable fortune for them.

Why the rush to sell them off in the stock market? To liquidate ill-gotten assets, perhaps? Frankly, the lawyer's argumentation just adds to the suspicions surrounding the magnate's death.

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

If he fastened his seatbelt he can also unfasten it cant he ? Many people will have the good habit of fastenening their seatbelt, but many sometimes take it off if they want to get something from the back seat etc. What this family is trying to do is to get the shares that the deceased gave to his girlfriends back. If they can get a case against the ex MP and link him to the gf's they score many hundreds of millions. If it was an accidents the mia noi's walk away with the money. Anyone for a Thai soap opera ?

[Briggsy]

I can tell you one thing. Whilst these girls will be paid something, they sure as heck are not getting even a significant fraction of the value of the shares that they nominally hold. They may get 1% each if they are lucky.

[LarryBird]

I don't understand how the 200million Baht transfer figures into the story. If the mistress had a transfer of 200 million baht, why would she not want him alive? What are the theories and suspicions?

[Fat Haggis]

The moderate damage to the driver's side of the front-end of the Lexus van wouldn't be consistent with a front-seat passenger death, even if he wasn't seat-belted. I'm sure experts from Lexus, if allowed to inspect the van, could draw all kinds of conclusions, based on passenger compartment damage, lack of airbag deployment, and data from the EDR. But, this cover-up is a foregone conclusion. Might as well let the pretties liquidate their shares - another Thai businessman offed so that others can spend his fortune.

To be honest, looking at the picture in the OP, I wouldn't exactly call that moderate, there was some serious force used to make that bonnet/hood crumple like that, and to also leave a dent that looks pretty rounded (like a head for example). It's not your run of the mill, drive into a bollard not looking where you're going accident, there was an element of speed involved here no doubt.

The results of the autopsy will have a lot more significance, don't underestimate how each and everyone's brain react when there is damage to the brain/ Cerebral Fluid too, skiing accidents involving falls took the life of Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson's wife, and it almost took the life of Michael Schumacher.

[joebrown]

I don't understand how the 200million Baht transfer figures into the story. If the mistress had a transfer of 200 million baht, why would she not want him alive? What are the theories and suspicions?

I believe I read in an earlier TV post that the road accident isn't the only suspicious incident. The Share Transfer document, allegedly signed by the deceased has also been the subject of suspicion due to the mis-spelling of his surname.

Edited August 3, 2015 by joebrown

[HerbalEd]

why did they video him getting into the car? Is this a normal practice for them ? As in videoing him leaving home daily?

Sounds a bit weird?

It's not at all unusual for high-profile, famous people to be videoed by the media when entering and exiting cars.

[HerbalEd]

If he fastened his seatbelt he can also unfasten it cant he ? Many people will have the good habit of fastenening their seatbelt, but many sometimes take it off if they want to get something from the back seat etc. What this family is trying to do is to get the shares that the deceased gave to his girlfriends back. If they can get a case against the ex MP and link him to the gf's they score many hundreds of millions. If it was an accidents the mia noi's walk away with the money. Anyone for a Thai soap opera ?

Maybe the family is actually concerned that their loved one was murdered. Or am I being a Pollyanna, or are you a cynic realist?

[inzman]

This whole episode is so obvious, it's like bit players playing a comedy. For real, nobody in charge can see the obvious chain of events? Must be a lot of lunch boxes changing hands right now to get things right. When you are rich in this country you are a target for every Tom dick and Harry. You need to be very careful. He sure wasn't.

[Fat Haggis]

why did they video him getting into the car? Is this a normal practice for them ? As in videoing him leaving home daily?

Sounds a bit weird?

It's not at all unusual for high-profile, famous people to be videoed by the media when entering and exiting cars.

It wasn't the media who filmed them, it was his sister

[lap82]

Everything looks so strange...

[SOTIRIOS]

...just coincidence I guess...but the place that is named for 'Heaven' has borne some really hellish individuals....

[zaphod reborn]

The moderate damage to the driver's side of the front-end of the Lexus van wouldn't be consistent with a front-seat passenger death, even if he wasn't seat-belted. I'm sure experts from Lexus, if allowed to inspect the van, could draw all kinds of conclusions, based on passenger compartment damage, lack of airbag deployment, and data from the EDR. But, this cover-up is a foregone conclusion. Might as well let the pretties liquidate their shares - another Thai businessman offed so that others can spend his fortune.

To be honest, looking at the picture in the OP, I wouldn't exactly call that moderate, there was some serious force used to make that bonnet/hood crumple like that, and to also leave a dent that looks pretty rounded (like a head for example). It's not your run of the mill, drive into a bollard not looking where you're going accident, there was an element of speed involved here no doubt.

The results of the autopsy will have a lot more significance, don't underestimate how each and everyone's brain react when there is damage to the brain/ Cerebral Fluid too, skiing accidents involving falls took the life of Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson's wife, and it almost took the life of Michael Schumacher.

I was a products liability lawyer for Volkswagen, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Sorry, I've studied and examined thousands of car wrecks with accident investigation and crashworthiness experts. That's moderate damage. I'd like to see the inside compartment, but this is a fairly sturdy, recent model - passenger compartments are quite forgiving nowadays. I don't see how skiing into rocks and trees has any relevance. Those are direct impacts with stationary objects. If K. Chuwong's head did have an impact inside the car, it struck a softened object, such as the dashboard. If he had struck the windshield, the windshield would have probably cracked if it killed him.

Edited August 3, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[WhizBang]

The moderate damage to the driver's side of the front-end of the Lexus van wouldn't be consistent with a front-seat passenger death, even if he wasn't seat-belted. I'm sure experts from Lexus, if allowed to inspect the van, could draw all kinds of conclusions, based on passenger compartment damage, lack of airbag deployment, and data from the EDR. But, this cover-up is a foregone conclusion. Might as well let the pretties liquidate their shares - another Thai businessman offed so that others can spend his fortune.

To be honest, looking at the picture in the OP, I wouldn't exactly call that moderate, there was some serious force used to make that bonnet/hood crumple like that, and to also leave a dent that looks pretty rounded (like a head for example). It's not your run of the mill, drive into a bollard not looking where you're going accident, there was an element of speed involved here no doubt.

The results of the autopsy will have a lot more significance, don't underestimate how each and everyone's brain react when there is damage to the brain/ Cerebral Fluid too, skiing accidents involving falls took the life of Natasha Richardson, Liam Neeson's wife, and it almost took the life of Michael Schumacher.

You are wrong. That damage looks like a slower speed impact as the damage is rather minor. Today's cars are not that strong, at least the exterior sheet metal isn't. Try giving the fender of any newer vehicle a good kick and see what happens.

This whole thing stinks, almost as bad as the Koh Tao incident. Or do you think the Burmese guys actually did it?

[slapout]

The thai people who have been or are involved or propose a illegal act or action need to be smart /educated enough to prepare for industrial safeguards and monitoring /recording systems which include banking , mechanical devices, etc sold on the commercial market, by nternationally.owned companies.

To investigate these types of events the police or those assigned to investigate must be versed and educated in what to look for, determine the real cause, and then either rule accident or suspect death and they also must be as smart or more so than those who are involved in illegal acts or carrying them out..

Sadly it would appear that neither group is any more intelligent than the other. It just comes down to who has the most money, the bigger brass balls and the better connections..

[Varangkul]

why did they video him getting into the car? Is this a normal practice for them ? As in videoing him leaving home daily?

Sounds a bit weird?

It's not at all unusual for high-profile, famous people to be videoed by the media when entering and exiting cars.

Nor is it unusual for houses to have security/video cameras located in and around the property. Mine does!

[webfact]

Chuwong always wore his safety belt, family insists
Pensri Gaden,
Noppadon Sritaweekart,
Supachai Phettewee
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- CONSTRUCTION tycoon Chuwong Saetang habitually wore the safety belt, which is making it difficult for his family to believe claims that he had died in a car crash because he had failed to put on his safety belt.

"He survived two car accidents before because of the safety belt. That's why he always had it on, no matter if he was the driver or the passenger," Chuwong's elder sister Wanpen Tanathamsiri told a press conference yesterday.

Chuwong died on June 27 in what his friend Pol Lt-Colonel Banyin Tanpakorn a former deputy commerce minister and a former MP claims was an accidental car crash.

The family, however, raised doubts in light of the fact that Banyin survived the crash unscathed and that a huge volume of Chuwong's shares were transferred to two women just days before his death without his family's prior knowledge.

Wanpen yesterday quoted an employee of Chuwong's company as saying that he saw his late boss put on the safety belt before Banyin's car headed out of the firm's compound.

Anek Kamchum, who represents Chuwong's family, told the same press conference yesterday that he too had noticed the dubious share transfers after Chuwong died.

"That's why I asked his family about these transfers," he said.

The two women who received nearly Bt300 million worth of shares from Chuwong claimed to have had special ties with the tycoon. Kantana Siwathanapon, 26, told police that she and Chuwong were romantically involved and that he had voluntarily transferred his shares to her.

Kantana's lawyer, Seksan Senachu, yesterday called on the Central Investigation Bureau's chief Maj General Akaradej Pimonsri to unfreeze her shares.

"This freezing has caused her the financial damages of over Bt16 million already," Seksan said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Maj-General Chanthep Sesawet said Banyin was close to both Kantana and the other recipient.

"But I don't know how deep their relationships were," he said.

At this point, Banyin only faces the charge of reckless driving that caused death. Relevant police officers will meet tomorrow to discuss Chuwong's case and determine the cause of his death.

An informed source said investigators were preparing to conclude that Chuwong died in an accident, because there are no records of him and Banyin ever quarrelling.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Chuwong-always-wore-his-safety-belt-family-insists-30265847.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-04

[harada]

Considering the fact that info regarding seat belts,speed etc would be able to be retrieved from the EDR I would not be surprised if this vehicle was now to suddenly catch fire whilst in storage, electrical short ?

[BuckBee]

seem to be covering every case on TV except koh tao trial :-/ odd that don't you think !

[z42]

The stench from this case is overpowering. The Thai cops are now looking even more stupid than keystone kops. And also the top cop on the case who "doesn't know" the relationship between the driver and the caddies who got financial windfalls for unverified romance with a man who's died in very suspicious circumstances. Go and find out the relationships you inept fool. Unbelievable. I love living here but this sort of stuff is about as 3rd world as it gets.

[bamnutsak]

Maybe it was just a freak accident. The driver hit the brakes, Chuwong's Big Bertha driver flew out of the bag and delivered the fatal blow?

OK, maybe not.

Anyway, I'm sure the RTP will sort this out.

There was a story in the press recently that Pol Lt Col Bunyin Tangphakorn's wife dies under similar circumstances in 1988, and that the police were going to re-open that case.

If it worked before...

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Police-probe-death-of-Banyins-ex-wife-as-plot-thic-30264848.html

"We will look into the case involving Banyin's ex-wife, who died in 1988, because there are some similarities with what happened to Chuwong," deputy Metropolitan Police chief Pol Maj-General Chanthep Sesawet said. He added that police would also consult experts on why the airbags were not functioning during the accident.

The spotlight has been focused on Banyin since Chuwong's family raised doubts last week. Though he has already been charged with reckless driving that caused death, Banyin may find himself in more trouble if an ongoing investigation reveals foul play.

[Muzarella]

It is totally impossible to somebody die in that accident, or even get injuries.. That Lexus is the top of the line version of the Toyota Landcruiser, and made in Japan. Very strong SUV, and the crash was a low speed, not enough to opening the air bag, or for the passenger hit the front glass that shows not damaged on the picture

[zaphod reborn]

An informed source said investigators were preparing to conclude that Chuwong died in an accident, because there are no records of him and Banyin ever quarrelling.

Do people end up dead under suspicious circumstances only if there was a quarrel? Did Somyet's boys ever consider that the pretties and Banyin came up with a scheme to forge his signature on the share transfer documents (Chuwong's name was misspelled on the transfer documents), and then kill him off so that he couldn't report them for forgery. Then, the pretties pay off Banyin from the sale of the shares, and they all wind up happier and richer. Of course, Somyet's boys need to be paid off as well, so they will just chalk this whole thing up as an accident. Banyin will pay a small fine for his negligent operation of the Lexus. Nothing will be investigated, because there's no money in it. Thai society is corrupt to its core.