Lifetime ban to be considered on Mercedes Benz driver in Ayutthaya fatal crash

[Scouse Twoccer]

We can all hear the bells at the Wat and smell the story is going to fade out into sweet nothings.....

This is a farce, the guy should be behind bars already. but TIT

" experts from Mercedes Benz who have been asked to inspect the vehicle and help find out the speed of the car upon collision with the Ford car, have stated that they will have to postpone and gave no specific alternate date."

Because Mercedes Benz are worried if they "snitch" on their customer, they would loose out on millions of baht , The new Mercedes Benz models have a black box just like planes. give info about speed on impact, if any brakes used etc etc....

but that no-one want to talk about.... truth smacking you in the face.... very bad for face, loose face..... better to make merit, and pay some money, say sorry and all go away....

after all TIT

"The new Mercedes Benz models have a black box just like planes."

No, they don't. They do have an ECU controlling the cars various functions, that's all, no "black boxes".

[Scouse Twoccer]

I'm still in disbelief that he refused a breathalyser and the cops agreed. These same clowns are to decide his punishment?

Suspend your disbelief. The driver in this case is being given no special treatment, that is a basic right that everyone has, no one can be forced to take a breath test or give a blood sample for analysis. The downside of exercising that right is that person is then treated as being drunk when it comes to court.

[rkidlad]

<deleted> off!

This guy should be in prison for life. A complete disregard for other's lives and bribery.

Lifetime ban for driving. They're getting desperate.

Doesn't it have to go to court first and then get a guilty verdict?

And the irony is it won't even get to that. He'll be assumed innocent because money talks.

[casualbiker]

I'm still in disbelief that he refused a breathalyser and the cops agreed. These same clowns are to decide his punishment?

Suspend your disbelief. The driver in this case is being given no special treatment, that is a basic right that everyone has, no one can be forced to take a breath test or give a blood sample for analysis. The downside of exercising that right is that person is then treated as being drunk when it comes to court.

You don't seem to have been in Thailand long.. I judge this from your answers to posts in this thread. I think you will find that in Thailand you CAN refuse a road side test BUT you can't refuse a blood test later. As for special treatment, off course exceedingly rich people get special treatment here in Thailand from the police.. The Red Bull heir is a good case in point. Against that you have the mushroom pickers!

[Moonmoon]

I got 10 baht says he manages to get better & walk again...all the way to Singapore or at least Swampy.

Driving ban???? Ya think? Vehicular manslaughter & deserves at least 30 years.

A ban on him breathing again would be more fitting.

ALSO, any retard with a tape measure (measure distance at the scene), and a stopwatch should be able to tell he was going nigh on 250 KPH or better.

AND ANOTHER thing... I got 20 baht says the ECU was damaged beyond all repair and/or will get changed out with another one, and the case will drag on for 15 years or more.

i double it 60 baht on all of the above

[tomacht8]

I think it will run like this:
Prosecution double manslaughter, reckless driving and possibly drugged.
First instance judgment: 6 years, he confesses then reduction to 3 years in prison + 10 years driving ban.
Then he goes into appeal: free on bail. No prison.
He buys an International Driving Licence from a banana republic.
5 years elapse until the second Instance.
Judgment of the second instance: 4 years on probation.
Thats it.

Edited March 24, 2016 by tomacht8

[Strangebrew]

Ok my 2 satang worth, I googled crash tests of both cars and side impact tests of Ford car involved in wreck The ford side impact test said they should have made it out alive if car hitting them was under 55 MPH But 220 KPH get a sponge cause there amulet wouldn't have a chance. Or in there case a dust broom cause of fire damage done to car.

[mike324]

some real prison sentence will be more like it, not the "suspended" version that all the rich folks seems to get. Quite frankly, I'm sure everyone is sick and tire of hearing people entering in to monkhood to make merit, making merit can't bring back the dead. Serving some jail sentences would be a more appropriate action if they want to really reflect on their actions.

I believe Thailands flawed law is one of the main reasons as for the victim to accept compensation, it seems like they need to forgive the suspects too which enable them to get suspended sentences.

[marinediscoking]

All the reasons why this will NOT happen are already in the script:-

1. '' If evidence indicates that he was a dangerous and reckless driver they will CONSIDER permanently revoking his driving license ''. Well; the evidence is right there in front of them backed up by a movie of the incident, so what more evidence do they need ?

2. '' Meanwhile; representatives of Mercedes Benz Thailand had asked to postpone their inspection to an unspecified date '' They cited the excuse that they had to wait for a foreign expert to arrive, so does this mean MB have not one Certified Engineer in Thailand capable of properly reading an ECU ? Seems very unlikely to me that Mercedes would allow this to be the case. Besides; the speed of the vehicle can even be calculated from the movie taken of the incident with very close results.

3. ' Eyewitness testimony is still being collected'' This is the stock excuse for delaying any serious investigation in Thailand.

When, and if, this case ever reaches trial, there will be a dozen excuses put forward why this man cannot be held responsible for what he did and whatever 'punishment' he receives will be watered down by excuse's such as 'His testimony has been helpful to the authorities'.... he has 'entered the Monkhood to cleanse himself of wrongdoing'.....'he has made reparations and compensation to the families' etc etc.

In any 'civilized society' where Human lives matter the man would be sent down for a minimum 10 years realistically, and be out for good behaviour after around 7 years but Thailand being what it is, i doubt he will spend a single night behind bars.

Your point 2 I am not surprised they don't have some here from Daimler that can properly read and ECU. Daimler has more motive to prove this was reckless driving than possible mechanical failure so they would want the results known as well, they also don't look kindly on grey market dealers of their cars either.

3. Actor Paul Walker's accident investigation took over 4 months before the accident report was complete by the California authorities which determined the speed of the Porsche he was in when is crashed, so these matters can take time.

We are lucky someone had nearly perfectly positioned dash cam footage otherwise this would have gotten very little press coverage and outrage. It would have just been another thai fatal road accident. The press also like pretty female victims.

I agree with everything else you wrote.

[WhizBang]

The Bull Sh!t from the 'authorities' is starting to get very deep.

Expect to sell non ending excuses as to why this murderer will not be jailed. Why he will be allowed to walk free, and most likely leave the country.

Amazing Thailand, indeed. Absolutely PATHETIC.

Prayut will do NOTHING, so we, and the world, will see that there will be no reforms in Thailand. Everything is a sham.

[torpedo1970]

"The new Mercedes Benz models have a black box just like planes."

No, they don't. They do have an ECU controlling the cars various functions, that's all, no "black boxes".

Same same but different,

you say potato I say potato.

It is a combination of Hardware and software like a computer with memory, so they can take out the data from last trip. It is not a black box, but it does have the same functionality (logs of incidents)

please see wiki info on ECU

In automotive electronics, Electronic Control Unit (ECU) is a generic term for any embedded system that controls one or more of the electrical system or subsystems in a motor vehicle.

Types of ECU include Electronic/engine Control Module (ECM), Powertrain Control Module (PCM), Transmission Control Module (TCM), Brake Control Module (BCM or EBCM), Central Control Module (CCM), Central Timing Module (CTM), General Electronic Module (GEM), Body Control Module (BCM), Suspension Control Module (SCM), control unit, or control module. Taken together, these systems are sometimes referred to as the car's computer. (Technically there is no single computer but multiple ones.) Sometimes one assembly incorporates several of the individual control modules (PCM is often both engine and transmission)

Some modern motor vehicles have up to 80 ECUs. Embedded software in ECUs continues to increase in line count, complexity, and sophistication. Managing the increasing complexity and number of ECUs in a vehicle has become a key challenge for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

Edited March 24, 2016 by torpedo1970

[ChrisY1]

Have to remember, he and his father, being importers of luxury vehicles, have no doubt dealt with many of the top cops......they all drive MBs and BMs.....

IMO, the police action being displayed here is a farce....

[DavisH]

Like driving without a licence is going to stop him driving....or anyone else for that fact

Edited March 24, 2016 by DavisH

[anon467848]

I hope that the two poor souls that lost their lives come back from the grave and haunt him.. That would be Karma, given that Thais believe in ghosts...

[jerojero]

If evidence indicates he was reckless? He killed people with his car! How much more evidence for you need.

Edited March 24, 2016 by jerojero

[jackinthebox]

We can all hear the bells at the Wat and smell the story is going to fade out into sweet nothings.....

This is a farce, the guy should be behind bars already. but TIT

" experts from Mercedes Benz who have been asked to inspect the vehicle and help find out the speed of the car upon collision with the Ford car, have stated that they will have to postpone and gave no specific alternate date."

Because Mercedes Benz are worried if they "snitch" on their customer, they would loose out on millions of baht , The new Mercedes Benz models have a black box just like planes. give info about speed on impact, if any brakes used etc etc....

but that no-one want to talk about.... truth smacking you in the face.... very bad for face, loose face..... better to make merit, and pay some money, say sorry and all go away....

after all TIT

Obviously MB doesn't want do get involved in this sad story, so they try to postpone the investigation, hoping for the dust to settle in. The USP of a Mercedes ist speed and power, especially for the AMG-models it is tuning and reckless driving. So crashes on public highways with two dead good-looking university-students is not a good PR for their high-so cars....

[Deli]

Lifetime monkey house without kneecap should be considered as penalty.

No, he will walk free as all the other hi sos before him

[Lupatria]

If evidence indicates that he was a reckless and dangerous driver

Did any of these clowns ever watch the video footage?

[bark]

Life time Ban. He will just hire a driver and tell the driver to speed at 250 km/hr.

[tartempion]

One week community service?

[bangon04]

A lifetime ban will be enforced by ....? Yes that is right - enforced by the same Royal Thai Police Farce which failed to investigate the crash properly in the first place.

Much better to give him 4 hours of community service. Oh wait......

[DaveinAsia]

That was very predictable.

The headline may as well said: Rich killer got off with a big scolding but had to promise never to do it again

[gandalf12]

Does anyone know what makes of vehicles him and his family sell? Just so I can avoid buying from any of their outlets

[Searat7]

The Red Bull guy and this one should share a cell together for a long time so no driver's license will be needed. One has to wonder whether they will try to give the Mercedes rep a brown envelope too.

[jaywalker]

The standard sickening result in Thailand. He should be jailed for

a very long time for vehicular manslaughter. If he did

this in the states, he would be in a world of hurt....

A ban ?? For a country obsessed with face, I wonder if

the government has any idea how stupid this makes them

look on the world stage...

They have no earthly idea/clue, nor do they care at all.

The whole world revolves around Thailand ya know?

Edited March 24, 2016 by jaywalker

[ExpatLife]

More of a laughing stock with each passing week

[anon467848]

That was very predictable.

The headline may as well said: Rich killer got off with a big scolding but had to promise never to do it again

And go to the temple and play at being a monk for a few days. No doubt the paparazzi will be out in force to get the obligatory photo and show his pretend remorseful face...

[razer]

So he drives anyway ... so what? He pays the fine ... a minor inconvenience ... police save face.

Thailand has lost face.

New York Post story on this and the other rich kid murderers who go unpunished.

http://nypost.com/2016/03/23/high-speed-mercedes-crash-ignites-uproar-in-thailand/

[wabothai]

How about a people's court?

[monty1412]

here we go..."and will also enter monkhood as a merit making"..... and thats supposed to make everyone feel better and add some comfort to family and friends of the two young deceased persons ........ fine enter the monkhood after you have done your 20+ years in jail..... honestly the system here where a serious crime can be watered down by paying monies and merit making just has no part in real society and even his family to state this shows they have zero care or compassion for what the guy has done.... lets minimise it, make the deceased family happy with some Baht and move on... quite disgusting ... Im suprsied we haven't heard that the ghosts of the two young deceased have indicated they have forgiven him yet