What value for a young woman's life? Negligent "foam party" organizer goes to dead woman's parents to beg forgiveness as bargaining begins

[webfact]

What value for a young woman's life? Negligent "foam party" organizer goes to dead woman's parents to beg forgiveness as bargaining begins

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

UDON THANI: -- The man who organized a Songkran foam party in Udon Thani where a 25 year old woman was electrocuted last week has gone to beg her parents for forgiveness.

 

At their house was Michael Beddoes the British husband of Suphaporn Beddoes who so tragically died at the party, reported Thai Rath.

 

Michael had flown to Thailand on hearing the news and was in tears yesterday as the stony faced parents of his young wife received Phaiboon Nilakhuha - known locally as Sia Meuk - who arrived to say sorry.

 

Sia Meuk said he had been organizing the event for years and nothing had gone wrong before.

 

Following the ceremony of forgiveness the bargaining for the value of the compensation for Suphaporn's life began.

 

Sia Meuk offered 200,000 baht but this was rejected by Duangjai Saengchart, 47, and Thienchai Wannawiset, 53, the mother and father.

 

They asked for one million baht to settle the matter.

 

Sia Meuk said he had no insurance and not enough money but as the negotiations dragged on he finally offered half a million.

 

But the parents stuck to their ground and said that they would take the matter to court.

 

It was therefore left unresolved.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-04-19

[scorecard]

Condolences to all and RIP for the young lady.

 

I wonder if the venue operator needed / had a license to conduct this type of party?

 

If it did need a license was there any form of inspection to approve that the set-up was safe, etc?

 

If it did need a license but none was applied for how come the appropriate authorities are not continuously checking things like this?

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by scorecard

[rkidlad]

Beg for forgiveness or beg for a lower settlement?

[seajae]

one would think the husband should be getting any settlement as is usual anywhere else. I understand the parents are upset but the husband is the direct next of kin then the parents. 

[BigBadGeordie]

21 minutes ago, rkidlad said:

Beg for forgiveness or beg for a lower settlement?

Err, both, but probably his priorities werr in the reverse order you suggest.

[USPatriot]

To the parents.  Stick to your guns, 1 million baht is nothing.  It was an accident but it was a party for profit.

 

This promoter will remember Safety first

[mark01]

I would have hoped to hear of a criminal prosecution, but I guess not going to happen.

Maybe next time.

[Emster23]

Take all of promoter's assets AND give him many years in prison. That might, just might, get the word out to others who put together slap dash events like this.

[elgordo38]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Sia Meuk said he had been organizing the event for years and nothing had gone wrong before.

 

Your cue to break out in tears. 

[elgordo38]

3 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Beg for forgiveness or beg for a lower settlement?

Both

[smileydude]

Why even talk about settlement?  If you really value someone's life why not talk to lawyers on how justice can be served in order to prevent the same negligence over and over.   You may be helping many other lives from ending so sadly in doing so or at least if your daughter/wife is looking down at you, she will be at peace that you loved her enough not to let greed overcome what is the right thing to do.

Edited April 19, 2017 by smileydude

[cyberfarang]

They asked for one million baht to settle the matter.

 

What a croak of crap. Do all people place price tags on people`s lives? If it were my daughter no amount of money could ever convince me to lie this case to rest, even if I were dirt poor. First I would look into; was the organiser`s negligence really the cause of my daughter`s death. If not and this was just a tragic accident, then I would forgive the organisers, but if serious negligence were involved, then nothing short of a long prison sentence would satisfy my quest for justice and if not having the funds to take up my own case, then I would be fighting for justice for the rest of my life.

[williamgeorgeallen]

4 hours ago, seajae said:

one would think the husband should be getting any settlement as is usual anywhere else. I understand the parents are upset but the husband is the direct next of kin then the parents. 

ferang have money already.

[smew]

RIP young lady. Life has its price, what it is is a matter of opinion and he is simply trying to lower his civil cost. Will there be a criminal judgement to follow?

One question remains what was a married woman doing at a foam party without her husband?

[DM07]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

Condolences to all and RIP for the young lady.

 

I wonder if the venue operator needed / had a license to conduct this type of party?

 

If it did need a license was there any form of inspection to approve that the set-up was safe, etc?

 

If it did need a license but none was applied for how come the appropriate authorities are not continuously checking things like this?

 

...you are being sarcastic...right?!

[josephbloggs]

One question remains what was a married woman doing at a foam party without her husband?

What an awful thing to say. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[scorecard]

20 minutes ago, DM07 said:

...you are being sarcastic...right?!

 

No at all, genuine relevant questions in my book.

[joecoolfrog]

These compensation settlements are not to my taste but if that is the custom then fair enough. However these should not preclude criminal action being brought against the promoter whose lack of diligence amounts to manslaughter in my book.

[Bluespunk]

Money soothes all sorrows, eh. 

 

<deleted> compensation and begin legal action. 

[Moti24]

46 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

They asked for one million baht to settle the matter.

 

What a croak of crap. Do all people place price tags on people`s lives? If it were my daughter no amount of money could ever convince me to lie this case to rest, even if I were dirt poor. First I would look into; was the organiser`s negligence really the cause of my daughter`s death. If not and this was just a tragic accident, then I would forgive the organisers, but if serious negligence were involved, then nothing short of a long prison sentence would satisfy my quest for justice and if not having the funds to take up my own case, then I would be fighting for justice for the rest of my life.

You're quite right.  Unfortunately, money talks in Thailand; I'll never get used to it.  If Suphaporn had been my wife, I would have to let her parents deal with it first.  But, later, I would dispence my own kind of justice, as necessary.

 

RiP, Suphaporn.  I hope Michael satisfies his desires.

[Sigma6]

42 minutes ago, smew said:

RIP young lady. Life has its price, what it is is a matter of opinion and he is simply trying to lower his civil cost. Will there be a criminal judgement to follow?

One question remains what was a married woman doing at a foam party without her husband?

celebrating songkran.

[ukrules]

5 hours ago, seajae said:

one would think the husband should be getting any settlement as is usual anywhere else. I understand the parents are upset but the husband is the direct next of kin then the parents. 

This is what I would have thought, it's nothing to do with the parents.

 

I wonder if he paid the parents when they got married.

 

[NoshowJones]

5 hours ago, seajae said:

one would think the husband should be getting any settlement as is usual anywhere else. I understand the parents are upset but the husband is the direct next of kin then the parents. 

Thailand is not "anywhere else", what is normal in other countries does not always apply to Thailand.

[TheFishman1]

TIT HERE ITS JUST ABOUT MONEY sad but true

[pentap]

Bargain ! What an insult. No amount of money will bring her back! Compensation for her life! Life is so cheap here! Money is so much more important. How low can people go!

The parents are just as bad.

I'm hoping the British husband will be dignified and refuse any monetary compensation offers, and not go to the depths of greed by accepting any payment?


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, cyberfarang said:

They asked for one million baht to settle the matter.

 

What a croak of crap. Do all people place price tags on people`s lives? If it were my daughter no amount of money could ever convince me to lie this case to rest, even if I were dirt poor. First I would look into; was the organiser`s negligence really the cause of my daughter`s death. If not and this was just a tragic accident, then I would forgive the organisers, but if serious negligence were involved, then nothing short of a long prison sentence would satisfy my quest for justice and if not having the funds to take up my own case, then I would be fighting for justice for the rest of my life.

That isn't the Thai way. A prison sentence benefits no-one. Money does. It is perfectly normal that people do no jail time for their crime. And that suits the police too who need do nothing except maybe oversee the 'compensation' and maybe get a percentage for themselves. That's just the way it is. Money is seen as more important and useful than justice.

[laislica]

In Thailand there are few pensions for the workers.

Traditionally, their children are their pension.

 

I find it totally disgusting that people comment about this.

Please stop it and show some respect.

 

My heart felt condolences to the husband, parents and her family and friends.

What a terrible tragedy.

 

 

Edited April 19, 2017 by laislica

[Chris Lawrence]

Here lays the problem with the Thai court system. The organiser can remove any action by paying cash. The parents are to put a value on their daughters life. The guy with no insurance can then barter. If he hasn't the money or so he says he can hope for a discount. If accepted the matter is finished. No need for or slows down judicial interference or involvement. It remains a unfair system. If fair, they would have a court appointed auditor to see what the organiser of the party has in assets.

 

How would you feel facing this man?

 

The court needs to be present in these negotiations; for example the policeman killed by the Red Bull kid. They should be paying the family 50-100 million baht as compensation and be directed by the court to do so.

[DSJPC]

I will ask again...what the hell is a "foam party"???

[sambum]

7 hours ago, USPatriot said:

To the parents.  Stick to your guns, 1 million baht is nothing.  It was an accident but it was a party for profit.

 

This promoter will remember Safety first

 "1 million baht is nothing." In which case, I wish I had nothing in my bank account!