CSD simulates van crash that killed Thai billionaire contractor Chuwong

[Jonathan Fairfield]

CSD simulates van crash that killed Thai billionaire contractor Chuwong

BANGKOK:-- Forensic police and specialist from the King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok this morning joined investigators from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) to simulate the van crash that killed billionaire contractor Chuwong Sae Tang on June 26.

The team used a Lexus van same as the van which Chuwong travelled so that the police could determine what really caused him to die from the impact which his relative was sceptical as it was just a minor crash.

The police team could not get the van from its owner, the former Nakhon Sawan MP Pol Lt Col Banyin Tangphakorn, to simulate the on the scene crash as the former politician claimed he has sent the vehicle for major repair.

He was the person who drove Chuwong from a golf course to home after a tee-off at night and had an accident on the way that killed the contractor at the scene while he himself suffered minor injuries.

But CSD deputy commander Pol Col Prasert Patanadee said it did not matter for the police team to simulate the van crash as Pol Lt Col Banyin could not give his van for simulation claiming he had sent it to repair.

He said the police have same model of van that could be used and a crash dummy of the same size as Chuwong for simulation.

The simulation of the crash will apply the same speed recorded in the van and its impact on the tree which is about 50 metres from off the side of the Chalerm Phrakiat road to see how much it had affected a person inside. The dummy was tied to the seat and the tree was protected with cushion as shield.

Result of the simulation will be used to analyse and determined if the same impact from the crash could cause injuries to which part of the body and how serious they are.

Earlier Chuwong’s family was suspicious of his unusual death because he suffered bruises on the back of his head, and his eyes bleeding.

The family became suspicious of the death after it was found out after his body was cremated that he transferred listed shares worth over 300 million baht to two women a few weeks before the van crash.

Four suspects, who included Pol Lt Col Banyin, and two women have been arrested by CSD police but freed on bails following investigation by the police showed the share transfer documents were corrected from original intention stated by Chuwong.

Both women later admitted to know Pol Lt Col Banyin, through introduction by Chuwong. The two women also admitted to have close relationship with Chuwong, and one of them was pregnant.

Earlier Pol Lt Col Banyin threatened to sue CSD commander for power abuse after CSD police searched his daughter’s house looking for evidence relating to political party formation.

No evidence was found in the search.

The search came as Pol Lt Col Banyin told a television programme that he and Chuwong were planning to set up a political party using about five billion baht as fund.

Chuwong would become party leader and the fund could be raised from property development projects worth several billion baht, Pol Lt Col Banyin claimed after he was suspected to have hands in the death of Chuwong.

He defended himself of his innocence in the TV programme.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/chaturon-appears-at-military-court-over-jurisdiction-objection

-- Thai PBS 2015-09-28

[BSJ]

All very intriguing! I wonder if the truth will be out???

[Artisi]

Hope they don't kill the crash dummy, but that would need to be done elsewhere with a blunt instrument.

[worgeordie]

What happened then?, hope the crash test dummy was not too badly hurt,

who's Lexus was it,and who's going to pay for the repairs ?,just like the case

there are so many questions unanswered.

regards worgeordie

[zaphod reborn]

The police team could not get the van from its owner, the former Nakhon Sawan MP Pol Lt Col Banyin Tangphakorn, to simulate the on the scene crash as the former politician claimed he has sent the vehicle for major repair.

And is this the way expert accident reconstructionists proceed? To use the same van that was involved in the original collision for the simulated reenactment. I don't think so. Once the van is involved in this type of collision, even if the van were repaired, it cannot be used for testing to determine the forces (commonly called "biomechanics") exerted upon bodies in a simulated collision. This is because there may be undetected structural damage to the vehicle which went unrepaired.

I am curious as to why Somyot didn't impound the van. Not to be used for his favorite activity of public reenactment, but as evidence as to the post-collision condition of the vehicle. This would be important evidence in Banyin's murder trial. The reenactment/simulated collision would not be admissible in court, so I assume they are only going through this exercise so that Somyot can walk away with a clear conscious and claim that the collision possibly could cause a death. He'll leave it up to his successor as to whether to prosecute.

Edited September 28, 2015 by zaphod reborn

[clockman]

Truth and justice. Forget it. T.I.T.

[HarrySeaman]

"The dummy was tied to the seat and the tree was protected with cushion as shield."

Was the dummy Chuwong tried to the seat and the tree protected with a cushion in the original crash? If if not then the recreation is a waste of time.

[singhajim]

Only innocent victim in all this is the tree. What a mess.

[Searat7]

Lexus doesn't make a van.....just nice SUV's. Expensive reconstruction....wonder how they had a similar vehicle to use.....this whole case smells.....the family is right to push for a real investigation.

[circusman]

"The dummy was tied to the seat and the tree was protected with cushion as shield."

Was the dummy Chuwong tried to the seat and the tree protected with a cushion in the original crash? If if not then the recreation is a waste of time.

NOT a waste of time. It justifies a salary.

[toybits]

as in the other thread... It was...., it was....., it was...... an aeksident....

[thaipod]

The whole thing smells fishy. This top of the range Lexus that the air bag didn't activate, driven by a ex politician that did not get a scratch after a minor accident and end dead with injuries to the back of his scull and his eyes bleeding.

[Artisi]

Makes Mickey Mouse and Tom & Jerry cartoons bland after listening to and watching BIB in action.

[anon467848]

The Van has probably ended up in a crusher along with the onboard computer.... hard to believe the Van was never confiscated in the first place. Rank, position has its privileges...

[Adeeos]

They seem to leave out the snippet,, that the driver, had ANOTHER,,, nearly IDENTICAL, "accident" where I think it might have been his wife that died, with IF I recall the reports correctly, had nearly EXACTLY the same types of injuries,, and HE also had nearly the same injuries as this time?..... I know I read it somewhere on here,, But i also read repeatedly, that a landlady offered a tip about the accused bomber,, (which was reported BY the police several times),,, but then later, it was reported there was NO such tip,, and the RTP awarded the reward to themselves..... but hey,, I'm only remembering what the NEWS reported,,,,,

[Muzarella]

Like I said before. That kind of crash, with that kind of car, cannot injure an adult to kill it....or not injure it at all. But no autopsy was done before cremation, and now the car is repaired. Case close.

[Acharn]

<snip>

I am curious as to why Somyot didn't impound the van. Not to be used for his favorite activity of public reenactment, but as evidence as to the post-collision condition of the vehicle. This would be important evidence in Banyin's murder trial. The reenactment/simulated collision would not be admissible in court, so I assume they are only going through this exercise so that Somyot can walk away with a clear conscious and claim that the collision possibly could cause a death. He'll leave it up to his successor as to whether to prosecute.

The whole case seems very strange. It looks like an initial attempt at quick cover-up, that was upset when the family found out about the share transfers. Evidently the family trusted the initial police evaluation that it was purely an accident, because they cremated the body fairly quickly. Wonder if there was an astrologer who gave them an auspicious date and time. I don't get why injuries to the back of the head wouldn't arouse suspicion, but Banyin is a Police Lieutenant Colonel, after all, so of course they're going to take his word until they don't.

[scorecard]

<snip>

I am curious as to why Somyot didn't impound the van. Not to be used for his favorite activity of public reenactment, but as evidence as to the post-collision condition of the vehicle. This would be important evidence in Banyin's murder trial. The reenactment/simulated collision would not be admissible in court, so I assume they are only going through this exercise so that Somyot can walk away with a clear conscious and claim that the collision possibly could cause a death. He'll leave it up to his successor as to whether to prosecute.

The whole case seems very strange. It looks like an initial attempt at quick cover-up, that was upset when the family found out about the share transfers. Evidently the family trusted the initial police evaluation that it was purely an accident, because they cremated the body fairly quickly. Wonder if there was an astrologer who gave them an auspicious date and time. I don't get why injuries to the back of the head wouldn't arouse suspicion, but Banyin is a Police Lieutenant Colonel, after all, so of course they're going to take his word until they don't.

Keep in mind:

- Such quick cremations are not normal in Thailand, in fact it's common for a delay of 100 days etc.

- Also, given the accident and a death surely the police would have been required to give permission for the cremation to go ahead, and in the whole circumstances why did they allow it to go ahead?

- The police guy is fairly senior and he knows how to push the investigations etc., the way he wants it, he seems to be rather intimidating, and he's already said he will sue anybody who says anything negative about him.

[Broeno]

How can Somyot fix it together that he is a murder suspect, his car is part of a murder investigation, but they qlet him possess the car, and it was repaird.

Makes me think of some very good standup comedianrs, if it was not the case that somebody seems to be murdered and a lot of money was stolen.

[oldsailor35]

Hope they don't kill the crash dummy, but that would need to be done elsewhere with a blunt instrument.

Never mind the crash dummy. Suthep is out of the temple now and he always like to help !

[gemguy]

Hmmmmm....could have been planned.

A pretty crude plan though...... but when you think about it the Police officer could have pre chosen a well placed road side tree along the road that they traveled frequently with his good buddy sitting in the front passenger seat with no seat belt and then make like he dropped something and goes to pick it up and.....oooops the van hits a tree while the driver is seat belted and anticipating the impact and bracing himself for it while the passenger is violently slammed into the windshield and dies...as planed.

In the case that he did not die .........well now ....it was an accident..... right???

In the case that he does die.....well now....it was an accident..... right???

Cheers

[Artisi]

Hope they don't kill the crash dummy, but that would need to be done elsewhere with a blunt instrument.

Never mind the crash dummy. Suthep is out of the temple now and he always like to help !

Guess I am missing the point / connection with Suthep, care to expand it a little.