No jail time for driver who killed German in road accident

[Jonathan Fairfield]

No jail time for driver who killed German in road accident

 

PHUKET: The driver of a car that killed a German man and severely injured his Thai partner in Kata last year will walk away without serving any jail time.

 

The dramatic court case over the death of Andreas Walter and the severe injury of his Thai partner Patcharin Lammai ended on October 6 at Phuket Provincial Court. 

 

Jakarin Rodpradit, the driver of the vehicle that ran over Mr Walter after colliding with the couple while they were riding a motorcycle on the way to Kata from Chalong, was ordered by the court to pay a 7,500 baht fine and 1.8 million baht as compensation. He also received a two-year suspended jail sentence.

 

Mr Walter was 47 years old at the time of his death on December 3, 2015.

 

“I was conscious, but unable to move immediately after the accident. The driver didn’t stop; he kept trying to drive forward over the top of my boyfriend. I couldn’t do anything,” Ms Patcharin told the Phuket Gazette from her hospital bed several days after the incident. 

 

Police took Mr Jakarin’s driving licence at the scene on December 3 and then allowed him to return to his vehicle and go on his way. They reportedly did not conduct a blood alcohol test.

 

However, Ms Patcharin alleged that Mr Jakarin told witnesses that he had in fact been drinking before the incident, but that he was not drunk.

 

In a subsequent interview with police on December 8, Mr Jakarin reportedly denied responsibility for the crash, telling police that Mr Walter was in fact the one driving recklessly and had cut him off. 

 

About a week later, Ms Patcharin went to police with CCTV footage and eye witness statements in an effort to prove that Mr Jakarin was at fault. When faced with the new evidence, Mr Jakarin confessed and was charged with reckless driving causing death and injury without stopping and assisting the victims as well as property damage.

 

Full story: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/No-jail-time-driver-killed-German-road/65711?desktopversion#ad-image-0

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket Gazette 2016-10-15

[LivinginKata]

No real surprise here. The accused paid the necessary 'blood money' and the small fine. That's the way it plays here in Thailand.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed. 

[boomerangutang]

The sadness of the death is compounded by the cops not doing their jobs.  Subjectivity rules every aspect of the Thai Injustice system and its enforcers.

[NamKangMan]

 

Makes you wonder how much she would have demanded from a farang tourist or expat????

[MikeyIdea]

The was another Thai Thai case on Thai media and TV a while back where a car was caught overtaking recklessly on a HD dashcam. The dashcam clearly showed that he lost control because of reckless driving and crashed into another pickup that in turn was pushed over on the wrong side of the road and hit a lorry

 

One person died in the innocent pickup driver's car, the reckless driver survived.

 

Penalty: Criminal offence 1,000 baht

 

Thai's get a much harder penalty when westerners are involved, that does not sound fair at all

 

Death to criminal sentencing only 10 months, that is fast

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by MikeyIdea

[NamKangMan]

1 hour ago, MikeyIdea said:

The was another Thai Thai case on Thai media and TV a while back where a car was caught overtaking recklessly on a HD dashcam. The dashcam clearly showed that he lost control because of reckless driving and crashed into another pickup that in turn was pushed over on the wrong side of the road and hit a lorry

 

One person died in the innocent pickup driver's car, the reckless driver survived.

 

Penalty: Criminal offence 1,000 baht

 

Thai's get a much harder penalty when westerners are involved, that does not sound fair at all

 

Death to criminal sentencing only 10 months, that is fast

 

 

 

"Thai's get a much harder penalty when westerners are involved" - rubbish.

 

Did your read the OP???? 

 

NO GAOL, and only a 7500 baht fine, and 1.8 million baht in compensation, for killing a foreigner.

 

Should he have refused to pay the 1.8 million baht compensation, I wonder how much gaol time 1.8 million baht is worth????

[Thechook]

If he ran over and killed a soi dog, the authorities would throw away key.  Run over a foreign and the response is, what's wrong it was just a farang, Geez.  I bet the fine and compensation was for hurting the Thai. 

[schlog]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

If he ran over and killed a soi dog, the authorities would throw away key.  Run over a foreign and the response is, what's wrong it was just a farang, Geez.  I bet the fine and compensation was for hurting the Thai. 

 

Fine and compensation are in line. Can't see a difference here in this case about foreigner or thai. 

 

Friend(foreigner) of mine had to pay only 850.000 baht for the accidentally death of a thai teen some years ago.

[Clamhua]

The pathetic nature of the Thai justice system is proven once again...

[TheFishman1]

No surprise TIT

[silent]

13 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

The sadness of the death is compounded by the cops not doing their jobs.  Subjectivity rules every aspect of the Thai Injustice system and its enforcers.

Everywhere else, too.

[MikeyIdea]

10 hours ago, NamKangMan said:

 

 

"Thai's get a much harder penalty when westerners are involved" - rubbish.

 

Did your read the OP???? 

 

NO GAOL, and only a 7500 baht fine, and 1.8 million baht in compensation, for killing a foreigner.

 

Should he have refused to pay the 1.8 million baht compensation, I wonder how much gaol time 1.8 million baht is worth????

 

NamKangMan, you obviously don't watch Thai news. If you had, then you would have known of the similar Thai Thai case I referred to.

 

And you would have known that the penalty there was much much lighter. Thai's were upset that the offender there only got a 1,000 bath penalty

 

Do you argue differences without watching Thai news? How can you know without watching Thai news?

 

Edited October 16, 2016 by MikeyIdea
Spelling

[Khun Paul]

Dead farang no problem, typical Thai [police inaction over the death of a farang. The Thai injured will have to live on whats left from the compensation, Justice NO,  but then this is Thailand.

[hawker9000]

50 minutes ago, silent said:

Everywhere else, too.

 

Everywhere else, too?  Oh, really.  What total BS.

 

If you're a foreigner involved with an at-fault local in an accident like this, and looking for some kind of justice to come out of it, you're simply in the wrong place.

[Broeno]

In a subsequent interview with police on December 8, Mr Jakarin reportedly denied responsibility for the crash, telling police that Mr Walter was in fact the one driving recklessly and had cut him off. 

 

 

 

 

 

Normally you get shot if you do this to a Thai driver.

[whatproblem]

16 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

No real surprise here. The accused paid the necessary 'blood money' and the small fine. That's the way it plays here in Thailand.

 

He was ordered to pay ,that doesn't mean that he has paid or will pay 

[elgordo38]

5 minutes ago, whatproblem said:

 

He was ordered to pay ,that doesn't mean that he has paid or will pay 

Ah yes therein lies the truth of the matter. Looks good in the press well to some anyways but I doubt if there will be any follow through. The lying and then admitting the truth part should in itself be a federal offense but then this type of behavior is acceptable here. Quaint country time to hear from the love it or leave it crowd they always chime in. Ah yes the country is a diamond in the rough.

[jacko45k]

So this is the value of a foreign life here and it can be taken with no more concern than a small fine?

[elgordo38]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

So this is the value of a foreign life here and it can be taken with no more concern than a small fine?

Give the man a cigar. Stay tuned the righteous right will soon arrive be patient. 

[IAMHERE]

Does it matter ? Thai life is pretty well worthless and falang are less so.

[Baerboxer]

17 minutes ago, Broeno said:

In a subsequent interview with police on December 8, Mr Jakarin reportedly denied responsibility for the crash, telling police that Mr Walter was in fact the one driving recklessly and had cut him off. 

 

 

 

 

 

Normally you get shot if you do this to a Thai driver.

 

In many countries you'd face an extra charge of trying to pervert the course of justice. Here, seems to be accepted as something you can do and then change your mind when caught out without any consequences. 

Remember Red Bull boy tried to blame a servant claiming he was the one driving? And what has happened to the mentally ill following trying it on as a novice monk Mercedes killer who killed 2 Thais with his reckless driving? What was the punishment for the ghost seeing actress who became a nun for a few days after killing a cop when hitting a stationery police car?

 

Justice is a very different concept here. Seems to be all about compensation, public contrition, no doubt some gratuities to those who broker the "deal" and then everyone moves on. Nothing about real punishment or deterrent.

[LivinginKata]

24 minutes ago, whatproblem said:

 

He was ordered to pay ,that doesn't mean that he has paid or will pay 

 

That's very true. I wonder if his insurance company will pay anything ? or if he has any assets that could be seized (another long drawn out legal procedure).

 

 

[MikeyIdea]

9 minutes ago, LivinginKata said:

 

That's very true. I wonder if his insurance company will pay anything ? or if he has any assets that could be seized (another long drawn out legal procedure).

 

 

 

Criminal offence = insurance will not pay 

[elgordo38]

5 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

In many countries you'd face an extra charge of trying to pervert the course of justice. Here, seems to be accepted as something you can do and then change your mind when caught out without any consequences. 

Remember Red Bull boy tried to blame a servant claiming he was the one driving? And what has happened to the mentally ill following trying it on as a novice monk Mercedes killer who killed 2 Thais with his reckless driving? What was the punishment for the ghost seeing actress who became a nun for a few days after killing a cop when hitting a stationery police car?

 

Justice is a very different concept here. Seems to be all about compensation, public contrition, no doubt some gratuities to those who broker the "deal" and then everyone moves on. Nothing about real punishment or deterrent.

You are only scratching the surface on this. Its the wonderful way of life here. Accept it or pack up your freedom of speech and move on. I think you will find that your freedom of speech is being muted everywhere. Look at the case in the Netherlands. 

[impulse]

I'll bet the hang-em-high brigade would be singing a different tune if they were the one on trial.

 

There was no intent to harm anyone.  It was an accident.  Accidents happen to good people, too.  If I figured an accident could put me in a Thai jail for years and years, I'd get rid of my vehicle.  In fact, I'd just move elsewhere.

 

It's deplorable that the cops didn't test him for DWI, but since they didn't, the suspended sentence seems appropriate and the compensation in line with Thai economics.

[Baerboxer]

Just now, elgordo38 said:

You are only scratching the surface on this. Its the wonderful way of life here. Accept it or pack up your freedom of speech and move on. I think you will find that your freedom of speech is being muted everywhere. Look at the case in the Netherlands. 

 

Of course it is. Social media and the internet, coupled with cheap (relatively) computers and appliances make access to vast amounts of information easily available. It also means those with agendas can try to push their own information versions but that's another story.

 

Establishments can no longer sweep things under the carpet like they used to. More information makes people want more and more and the control of information has long been a way to control the masses. 

 

 

[Baerboxer]

1 minute ago, impulse said:

I'll bet the hang-em-high brigade would be singing a different tune if they were the one on trial.

 

There was no intent to harm anyone.  It was an accident.  Accidents happen to good people, too.  If I figured an accident could put me in a Thai jail for years and years, I'd get rid of my vehicle.  In fact, I'd just move elsewhere.

 

It's deplorable that the cops didn't test him for DWI, but since they didn't, the suspended sentence seems appropriate and the compensation in line with Thai economics.

 

Ignoring the fact he tried to lie is way out by blaming the deceased. And, according to the witness deliberately drove over the deceased in his attempt to flee.

But you advocate doing a runner so that's probable o k in your book too,

[sendintheclowns]

19 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

In many countries you'd face an extra charge of trying to pervert the course of justice. Here, seems to be accepted as something you can do and then change your mind when caught out without any consequences. 

Remember Red Bull boy tried to blame a servant claiming he was the one driving? And what has happened to the mentally ill following trying it on as a novice monk Mercedes killer who killed 2 Thais with his reckless driving? What was the punishment for the ghost seeing actress who became a nun for a few days after killing a cop when hitting a stationery police car?

 

Justice is a very different concept here. Seems to be all about compensation, public contrition, no doubt some gratuities to those who broker the "deal" and then everyone moves on. Nothing about real punishment or deterrent.

Well put. That is worth cutting and pasting as a letter to the BPost.

 

[impulse]

11 minutes ago, MikeyIdea said:

Criminal offence = insurance will not pay 

 

By your logic and the nature of culpability, just being at fault in an accident would negate any liability coverage.  That defies the very reason for insurance, especially for the victim.

 

I suspect the reason the cops didn't blood test him was to keep his coverage in place.  Despicable as it seems to western sensibilities of justice, they may have been doing the victims a favor by keeping his insurance valid.