Thai businessman charged for fatal collision amid mounting criticism

[ljd1308]

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.

Historically I don't think mercedes would have any issue with people like that representing them, this would probably be one of the lessor evils they have been associated with.

[Bobotie]

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.

Historically I don't think mercedes would have any issue with people like that representing them, this would probably be one of the lessor evils they have been associated with.

Mercedes Benz...wasnt it involved with corruption, bribery case some years back and lots of parties and hookers ?

[ljd1308]

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.

Historically I don't think mercedes would have any issue with people like that representing them, this would probably be one of the lessor evils they have been associated with.

Mercedes Benz...wasnt it involved with corruption, bribery case some years back and lots of parties and hookers ?

I've got no problem with parties and hookers.....I would endorse that sort of behviour.

I was referring to their use of Jewish slave labour and the face that every time you see Hitler in a car it is a mercedes.....I think from a PR perspective that would be worse than some little shit with no sense of responsibility.

[Emster23]

"charged a luxury car dealer with deadly reckless driving" Is this the same as vehicular homicide? Or will that aspect be ignored?

MBA students from Chula quite likely from well to do families where money less likely to buy their silence. MB driver should have picked less well off victims. Should be interesting how this plays out. Victims families will push for justice I would assume.

[nottocus]

So he should be walking free as soon as he is out of hospital then.

[SOTIRIOS]

...it is clear what happened...and by omitting the breathalyzer...probably why.....

...but they only now will form a team to investigate......

...shameful......

[jippytum]

I f you see the video the speed of the Merc was such the the other car had no chance .

Death by dangerous driving at the least .

Please don't let rich father buy his spoiled brat a pardon .Two innocent people have died .

[NanLaew]

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

I think the first thing that this other, viral dashcam video will do is increase the price required for all this to be swept under the carpet. This will probably require that a second, "special police team" (with a separate bank account) be set up to avoid any conflict of interest with the first special police team and the cops doing the original non-investigation.

What's the Thai word for gravy train?. Anyone?

Edited March 18, 2016 by NanLaew

[MZurf]

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

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

A huge difference. The former is used in the toilets while the latter is used for the good life.

[NeverSure]

I'm still amazed at that Mercedes. It hit on the driver's front corner which is the worst place for the driver. That fails to distribute the impact across the entire front crumple zone, concentrating it toward the driver. The car landed on its top but even with that and after the impact it still looks like the doors might open and close. That is an amazing performance for the passenger compartment. I still think that car saved the driver's life.

There's more to see in this vid. Wait to the very end for more pics.

Edited March 18, 2016 by NeverSure

[luckyman]

" In an interview with Nation TV on Wednesday night, Phra-Inracha station commander Pongpat Suksawasdi said Jenphop declined to be tested."

Really ? Good to know, you can 'decline' to be tested, what a joke !! The Army should fire all officers involved immediately.

[NanLaew]

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....

Your are not wrong there robb. I reckon 90% of this basket-case nations 'issues' would disappear overnight as soon as the cops were disbanded and a proper, law enforcing, national police force set up. I think the PM threatened as much very early in his leadership. But then he retired from the army, assumed the PM's position as a 'civilian' and realized that you can't really have one without the other.

Keep dreaming...

Edited March 18, 2016 by NanLaew

[Tchooptip]

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.

We've seen this morning on Thai media the speedometer was blocked at 200km an hour?+?=?

[bazza40]

Having just returned from Vietnam, where there are motorcycles wall to wall in Saigon and Hanoi, i was struck by how sensibly the Vietnamese drive compared to the Thais.

While the traffic looks intimidating, it seems to work better.

I saw three speed cameras in different parts of Vietnam in the space of two weeks. 7 years in Thailand now, and I have yet to see one here.

[DM07]

When I read these stories, I can tell you: I can't eat as much, as I want to throw up!

He declined to be tested for alcohol?

The comment of the father on top of that!

Just have a look at that video: the car is like a speeding bullet, for Pete's sake!

But he will pay some of his family's dirty baht to the family of the victims and this case will vanish!

Although, I wish, they would deny the money, tell him to shove it and sue his @$$ off!

[dageurreotype]

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.

That's bullshit. On being admitted to hospital after an auto accident one is automatically blood tested for alcohol content. And bearing in mind this POS was admitted to Intensive Care (for a knee injury ), he would not have been able to refuse it. This place ..

[JonnyF]

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.

That's bullshit. On being admitted to hospital after an auto accident one is automatically blood tested for alcohol content. And bearing in mind this POS was admitted to Intensive Care (for a knee injury ), he would not have been able to refuse it. This place ..

Without doubt a slip up by the police. They could have used a positive test to demand an increase in the weight of the brown envelope. Amateurs.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Nice to see that "name and shame" does have a useful, positive place in the public discourse.

Without it, where would the RTP have been on this one....

[dageurreotype]

I've got no problem with parties and hookers.....I would endorse that sort of behviour.

Mercedes Benz...wasnt it involved with corruption, bribery case some years back and lots of parties and hookers ?

I was referring to their use of Jewish slave labour and the face that every time you see Hitler in a car it is a mercedes.....I think from a PR perspective that would be worse than some little shit with no sense of responsibility.

So you see absolutely no connection, in fact 'endorse' with the types who frequent 'parties and hookers' with shady business dealings? No red flags there, for you?

[Briggsy]

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.

That's bullshit. On being admitted to hospital after an auto accident one is automatically blood tested for alcohol content. And bearing in mind this POS was admitted to Intensive Care (for a knee injury ), he would not have been able to refuse it. This place ..

Without doubt a slip up by the police. They could have used a positive test to demand an increase in the weight of the brown envelope. Amateurs.

How do you know they haven't?

[little mary sunshine]

Two postgrad students burned to death

By an alleged drunk speeding in his Benz.

he really needs to PAY BIG TIME !!

[Usual Suspect]

After seeing this video I still find it hard to believe just how far down the road the 2 cars came to rest after the impact..

Sheer speed, weight & momentum from the Merc!

I agree with what has been said earlier about the social media here now putting pressure on the RTP whenever these videos go out..but how long before the powers-that-be start blocking all this..??

[khomlong1]

Just another example of Thais using cars as weapons. Do the police care?

[SABloke]

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.

Or he was just racing and overtaking left and right..I see that every day and especially German cars are used for that.

Exactly...there's a reason you never overtake on the left: You can't clearly see what is there until your side (the drivers side) passes into the lane, by which time it's often too late.

[Ulic]

All I can say is thank goodness for that video. If not for that and the social media backlash

we all know what the outcome of any investigation would be. (IE. no investigation)

[lensta]

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.

I thought that the powers that be brought in a law last year that you couldn't refuse a breathalyzer.

[Robm579]

I have always been opposed to trial by the press... However.... Maybe " social media" will become the new vigilantes as the authorities seem reluctant to do their job....

I read a report in this mornings BP which suggest this is not the first incident...

I see his Facebook page showing a speedo at 307 km per hour ... That's 190 mph in real money... has now been taken down...!

And it would appear that the investigating " officer" is already offering pathetic excuses for RTP "investigation" and preparing a defence for the idiot! No blood test... Anti-depressant.... Etc...

I welcome this remaining a trial by social media.... Perhaps it can perform some useful activity... Maybe expose some other crimes that would otherwise be swept away...

What happened to the red bull guy...does he still have flu?... Surely some footage of the poor guy must be around?

Arrogant !!! Yes there are rules ...but they don't apply to me...

[MorristheRunt]

Buying a Benz or to a lesser extent a BMW takes you to a new level in Thailand.

A law less, sod you, carfree , selfish, ignorant, arrogant world above the mere pessant driving, Honda's, Toyota's and please don't mention the low life motorbike drivers, they are vermin in the eyes of the Benz elite.

[ballpoint]

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.

I think you'll find that his company has no affiliation to Mercedes, they just happen to be one of the brands that he imports on the 'grey' market, as well as being his current personal car. According to the article in the other thread, in one of his previous crashes he was driving a BMW, with the same number plate. But he never killed anyone then, or in any of the other "incidents" he was involved in, so that's okay - according to his father.

[MorristheRunt]

Two postgrad students burned to death

By an alleged drunk speeding in his Benz.

he really needs to PAY BIG TIME !!

No he does not need to pay big time, he needs to GO DOWN BIG TIME.