Thai businessman charged for fatal collision amid mounting criticism

[krystian]

Pongpat said it was a “suspect’s right” to decline testing. Just wondering if everyone has this right or just the wealthy

[Artisi]

From khaosod, "In an interview with MCOT, Jenphops father said his son had no memory of the crash and he asked people not to rush to judgment. He said they would act responsibly toward the families of the deceased."

I hope the as yet unidentified parents of the as yet unidentified victims DO NOT accept this thinly veiled and vile offer of cash.

But I don't hold out much hope.

They should screw the arse of these people while insisting he spends a long time inside contemplating his stupidity.

[madmitch]

Disgustingly arrogant attitude from the driver and his father.

[Langsuan Man]

If the driver was admitted to the hospital then there should have been a blood alcohol test done there. Unless he was previously a patient at the admitting hospital then the first thing that is normally done is blood is taken for diagnostic purposes. This same blood can be used to determine the blood alcohol levels. No consent needed

One of the great things about DWI's in Germany is that the first thing the police do it transport you to a hospital where your actual blood alcohol level is checked. No silly machines like breathalyzers that are subject to operator errors but actual laboratory analysis. A test that you eventually pay for once your lawyer goes to court and begs for mercy

[Artisi]

Did they confiscate his passport ?

Couldnt do that, he can't leave the country without it

[NanLaew]

Really puzzled about the comment " declined to be tested" are you within your rights to do that here ? not that I plan to exercise those rights but if so then this is just another piece of the pie here that is terribly off the mark......I know allot of comment will be made re money solves all etc etc but DOES ONE actually have the legal right to decline which really should be REFUSE to be tested when so asked ????

No. If a regular Somchai declines to blow, he is arrested, license confiscated and then off to jail for court appearance in the morning.

However, if you are a local driving a 'premium' imported luxury vehicle with red or custom plates or even no plates at all...

(If you are a farang driving the above mentioned vehicle, you need to have at least twice as much as Somchai)

[JonnyF]

I wonder what is the real point of this theatre? Other than placating the "netizens" of course.

Even if he gets convicted, he'll be out on bail appealing sentence for years and years until it all disappears. He's way too rich to see the inside of a cell so they may as well spare everyone the pretense of a real justice system and speed up to the bit where he gets to be a monk for the weekend (after paying off the victims families and the cops of course).

[robblok]

As long as police officers are not really punished for failing to do their duty, like an alcohol test, then nothing will change. They can just purposely botch the investigation for money and face no punishment. What the commander said about it being the guys right to not be tested should be enough for some serious punishment. Ah i can dream....

[outsider]

The suspect has the right to refuse tests??? After he killed two people? Really? What law is this?

Would have walked away a free man had his dad dabbled in energy drinks instead of luxury cars. Just saying...

[trogers]

The suspect has the right to refuse tests??? After he killed two people? Really? What law is this?

Would have walked away a free man had his dad dabbled in energy drinks instead of luxury cars. Just saying...

Law of the rich and connected...

[Tywais]

He declined to be tested for alcohol WHAT!!

How can the police justify that?

Oh sorry he was driving a Merc. He has plenty of brown envelopes at his office.

Maybe that is what they thought.

Afaik most places in the world automatically charge you with DUI if you refuse either a breathaliser or a blood test.

That includes Thailand.

Thailand: New DUI Law for 2015

Anyone refusing to take a breath test when asked by police will be assumed drunk and likely arrested and charged with DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

Bangkok --- Under the old law any driver refusing to take a test would be fined 1,000 baht. Taking the test and found to be over the limit could have seen the offender face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 20,000 baht so most simply refused and paid the 1k fine to avoid harsher punishment.

A new amendment to the law that came into force on 31st December 2014 means that it is now illegal to refuse a breathalyzer test in Thailand.

Now if a driver refuses to take a breathalyser test or complete a walk-and-turn test if asked to do so, police can assume the driver has violated Section 43 (2) of the Traffic Act which prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, resulting in arrest and charges.

The penalty for refusing to take a breath test is a jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to 20k baht or both.

Source - http://www.thaitribune.org/contents/detail/298?content_id=8187&rand=1424600235

[robblok]

He declined to be tested for alcohol WHAT!!

How can the police justify that?

Oh sorry he was driving a Merc. He has plenty of brown envelopes at his office.

Maybe that is what they thought.

Afaik most places in the world automatically charge you with DUI if you refuse either a breathaliser or a blood test.

That includes Thailand.

Thailand: New DUI Law for 2015

Anyone refusing to take a breath test when asked by police will be assumed drunk and likely arrested and charged with DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

Bangkok --- Under the old law any driver refusing to take a test would be fined 1,000 baht. Taking the test and found to be over the limit could have seen the offender face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to 20,000 baht so most simply refused and paid the 1k fine to avoid harsher punishment.

A new amendment to the law that came into force on 31st December 2014 means that it is now illegal to refuse a breathalyzer test in Thailand.

Now if a driver refuses to take a breathalyser test or complete a walk-and-turn test if asked to do so, police can assume the driver has violated Section 43 (2) of the Traffic Act which prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, resulting in arrest and charges.

The penalty for refusing to take a breath test is a jail term of up to one year and a fine of up to 20k baht or both.

Source - http://www.thaitribune.org/contents/detail/298?content_id=8187&rand=1424600235

Tywais,

No attack.. but would you hold your breath that this is applied to the Thai businessman or do you think he will just walk away from this without any punishment. Like all the rich brats seem to do. Red Bull, Underage girl in the car that killed many in a van, this guy, the mooham (supposedly in prison but no news reports on that).

I like this country a lot but this is one of the things I hate.

[IamNoone88]

Simply disgraceful.

[newcomer71]

From khaosod, "In an interview with MCOT, Jenphop’s father said his son had no memory of the crash and he asked people not to rush to judgment. He said they would act responsibly toward the families of the deceased."

I hope the as yet unidentified parents of the as yet unidentified victims DO NOT accept this thinly veiled and vile offer of cash.

But I don't hold out much hope.

I did read on a Thai-written newspaper that dad of one of the victims promised to go all the way in till the perp will be punished.

I wish him best luck.

[chiman]

Victims had just graduated with their MBA, ready to make a positive impact on their families lives. This spoiled son of a car importer who's sense of intitlment over their lives will walk... 500b fine or so. Btw.. His attorney denied the drug test at the hospital..

[gandalf12]

It was also stated in a publication that can not be mentioned here that he didn't get tested for drink as he has the right to refuse. Is this taking the p**s or what? Since when do you have the choice to be tested or not?

A few years ago in the UK a guy drove straight through a stop sign and hit my car. I called the police who arrive quickly and thee officer told me he would need to test us for drink. He also pointed out that if I refused, which I had no objection to, I would be arrested, taken to thee police station and charged. I don't drink so I didn't care but the guy who hit me gave a red indication just coming close to the unit. He was arrested and taken to the station.

The more I read of how these investigations are handled the more disbelief I have about the system. Yes there are some good police in Thailand who actually want to do a good job but most appear to be straight from Spitting Image in the way things are handled

[tabarnak]

No wander why Thailand has the reputation of one of the most corrupted country in the world and it is not about to change when we see this

[z42]

There is footage (dashcam) of the black benz racing with some other car 10 minutes before the crash happened. Wonder what the RTP are gonna do with this now its gone viral. They have enough to have this guy on toast, I wonder if there is a copper with enough morals to follow through and do the right thing

[Don Mega]

Victims had just graduated with their MBA, ready to make a positive impact on their families lives. This spoiled son of a car importer who's sense of intitlment over their lives will walk... 500b fine or so. Btw.. His attorney denied the drug test at the hospital..

Nah he is the importer of fine automobiles, the old man makes alloy wheels.

Edited March 18, 2016 by Don Mega

[Maggusoil]

Either way the video clearly shows how fast the Merc was going.

Like posters are saying, where does it go in LOB? Land of Bribes.

Also interesting that social media is raising its ugly head, nothing the nobs can about that.

Is there?

Computer Crime Act B.E. 2550.

Its interesting what governments around the world are calling crime these days.

My online dictionary for instance only mentions relations to "offenses". The old definition that to be guilty of a crime, needs a) to be proven

and there needs to be a victim.

There is a crime in this 'accident' and the perp has obviously committed a crime as there are two distinct victims of "autocide".

As for commenting on the accident, the investigation, how it is going to be handled and comments on social media. This is a cime?

Somebody is confused and we are accepting it.

[Don Mega]

Either way the video clearly shows how fast the Merc was going.

Like posters are saying, where does it go in LOB? Land of Bribes.

Also interesting that social media is raising its ugly head, nothing the nobs can about that.

Is there?

Computer Crime Act B.E. 2550.

Its interesting what governments around the world are calling crime these days.

My online dictionary for instance only mentions relations to "offenses". The old definition that to be guilty of a crime, needs a) to be proven

and there needs to be a victim.

There is a crime in this 'accident' and the perp has obviously committed a crime as there are two distinct victims of "autocide".

As for commenting on the accident, the investigation, how it is going to be handled and comments on social media. This is a cime?

Somebody is confused and we are accepting it.

[DaveinAsia]

Did they confiscate his passport ?

....and buy a new one for 10k, lol

[ThailandLOS]

Really puzzled about the comment " declined to be tested" are you within your rights to do that here ? not that I plan to exercise those rights but if so then this is just another piece of the pie here that is terribly off the mark......I know allot of comment will be made re money solves all etc etc but DOES ONE actually have the legal right to decline which really should be REFUSE to be tested when so asked ????

It might be factual that he declined to be tested, but then either a forced sample would be taken by force or an automatic DUI charges would be brought against him under in most countries. Don't know what Thai law actually says on that.

[sungod]

Can they use the amazing police team that did great work on the case involving a high level politician driving around with a recently robbed dead billionaire in his car before "crashing" and killing him again at 5mph. Prayuth's record on dealing with these hi-so criminals is significant - pathetically so.

Who's watch did the Red Bull heir go missing on?

[huangnon]

The video is all over social media networks. The guy was going at an insane speed and just rammed into the back of the Fiesta, attempting to pass on the inside. Hopefully those young kids died immediately on impact and not from the flames that engulfed their car.

The driver is another rich twit scion of a connected family. Previous drug abuse issues. Ho hum...

[geriatrickid]

If you watch the film you will see this guy drifting to the left lane, the so called slow lane, and striking the other vehicle from behind. According to several news reports the speedometer in the Benz was stuck on 200 plus km at the time of the accident. Oddly enough, after the car was taken to the police lot the battery was removed so the speedometer reads zero. Will the computer still show the speed or will there be no record? This guy was either under the influence or texting, there was no reason for him to enter the slow lane and no apparent effort to brake.

The vehicle will have recorded the last 3-10 seconds of key data. It's in all vehicles built to developed world standards.

The catch is that the information may eiher be intentionally destroyed or ignored.

Mercedes Benz should ask itself if it really needs to have this type of person as a representative.

[jesimps]

A special police team formed to probe fatal car accident involving a Mercedes

AYUTTHAYA: -- An ad hoc investigating team has been formed to probe a fatal car accident in Ayutthaya in which two post-graduate students were killed when their car caught fire after it was rammed from behind by a Mercedes Benz.

Pol Gen Pongpat Pongcharoen, the deputy national police chief, has ordered the special police team to complete the investigation in three days. He also ordered the case to be transferred from Phra-in Racha district police where the accident occurred to Ayuttha provincial police command to ensure fairness.

It was reported that the Phra-in Racha district police was subjected to investigation for alleged delay in their investigation of the case.

The accident took place on Sunday March 13 and the driver of the luxury Mercedes was said to be an importer of luxury cars.

The case has been a subject of interest in the social media with many netizens expressing concern that the culprit who has not been charged by the police may escape scot free because he is rich.

The Mercedes car driver, identified as Jenpob Veeraporn, who was also injured in the accident was reported to be under treatment at Samittivej hospital.

Latest report said police have charged Jenpob of reckless driving causing deaths to other people.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/155641

-- Thai PBS 2016-03-18

What a familiar face. Now he's the deputy police chief. Was not long ago he was one of the Shins lapdogs, in fact he was a favored lapdog that his boss was so fond of he even entered him for the Bangkok governor election where he boasted that "even a electricity pole" could win the election in Thaksins name. Of course he lost(badly). Pongpat aka Judy, who do you think you are kidding?

Another "But but Thaksin" where you wouldn't dream of finding one. He is obviously in the junta fanboys' every thought.

Back to the thread, refusing a breathaliser should be punished severely. A blood sample should have been taken, by force if necessary.

[klauskunkel]

The police aren't doing anything wrong, they are following Standard Operating Procedure on incidents involving members of the High Society:

1. do not treat them as suspects, treat them as clients

2. you now represent your client as his agent and are entitled to a percentage of any settlement achieved

3. the law is printed on paper, money is printed on paper...what's the difference?

4. do the right thing towards your superiors who shield you from repercussions with the Umbrella of Brotherly Clubhood

Edited March 18, 2016 by klauskunkel

[Artisi]

If you watch the film you will see this guy drifting to the left lane, the so called slow lane, and striking the other vehicle from behind. According to several news reports the speedometer in the Benz was stuck on 200 plus km at the time of the accident. Oddly enough, after the car was taken to the police lot the battery was removed so the speedometer reads zero. Will the computer still show the speed or will there be no record? This guy was either under the influence or texting, there was no reason for him to enter the slow lane and no apparent effort to brake.

The vehicle will have recorded the last 3-10 seconds of key data. It's in all vehicles built to developed world standards.

The catch is that the information may eiher be intentionally destroyed or ignored.

Mercedes Benz should ask itself if it really needs to have this type of person as a representative.

Yes they should ask themselves that question - but will they, more than likely sight the crash survival benefits of their cars.

[Artisi]

If this guy walks, it will be a very sad day for Thailand.