Eight killed in grisly tollway accident

[boloa]

The family of the victims made it clearly on news they are afraid the case will be wiped under the carpet and solved 'by money' with the BIB.

Seems to be the case so often here in Thailand, How can you put a price on a dead  son or daughter .....But here people do!!!
Plus to Police like to get their cut a swell.

[lahansai]

I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens, or maybe the news will be shut after reaching to some agreement with the family, which I think it can be fair enough if they are happy with it.

[Admin]

Crashes down slightly in first 5 'dangerous days',
booze still top problem
By Wattana Khamchoo
The Nation 2011-01-04

While the number of road accidents during the first five of the New Year season's "Seven Dangerous Days" was down 1.71 per cent from the same period a year ago, drunk driving remained the primary cause of accidents.

Wiboon Sanguanpong, head of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, reported yesterday that from December 29, 2010 to January 2, 2011 Wednesday to Sunday, there were 2,881 accidents, killing 281 people and injuring 3,091 others. That compared with 2,931 accidents, 279 deaths and 3,185 injuries in the same period a year ago.

The Central province of Lop Buri had the most deaths at 12, followed by Prachuap Khiri Khan with 10, while the Northern province of Chiang Rai had the most injuries at 110, followed by Phitsanulok with 99. Chiang Rai also had the most accidents at 103, followed by Phitsanulok with 91, Wiboon said.

On January 2 Sunday alone, 47 people were killed and 435 people were injured in 408 road accidents. Drunk driving accounted for the highest proportion of the accidents at 35.29 per cent, followed by speeding above the legal limit at 22.79 per cent.

Most accidents involved motorcycles, at 85.95 per cent, and nearly a third of road accidents occurred between 4pm and 8pm.

At 2,533 checkpoints manned by 69,416 officials, about 825,000 vehicles were stopped and 100,587 traffic-law violators were charged - mostly for riding motorcycles without helmets, at 29,736 cases, followed by 28,482 cases of driving without a licence.

As many travellers returned to Bangkok yesterday, causing crowded bus terminals and severe traffic jams on highways, Wiboon said he had instructed officials to watch strictly for and arrest violators.

Wiboon also urged motorists to observe the traffic laws, get enough sleep before driving, refrain from drinking alcohol and cooperate with checkpoint officials.

[Admin]

Teen horror crash suspect freed after being charged
Published: 6/01/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News


 
The 16-year-old girl involved in the fatal tollway accident 10 days ago has reported to police to acknowledge charges of reckless driving and driving without a licence.

Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin Na Ayudhya was released yesterday after being questioned by police and officials at a juvenile detention centre.

Authorities had no grounds to detain the teenager. She had contacted police to turn herself in to face charges after the Dec 27 crash in which nine people were killed and several others injured.

Orachorn was accompanied yesterday by her parents and a lawyer.

Social workers and mental health experts were present during the questioning as required by the child protection law.

Families of some of the crash victims observed the proceedings at the Metropolitan Police Bureau where the charges were read out.

Related: Parents won't face charges

MPB deputy chief Amnuay Nimmano said the teenager gave police her full cooperation during questioning.

He refused to say if she admitted or denied the charges.

The teenager was charged with reckless driving causing death and injury to others and driving without a licence.

Nine people were killed when the car she was driving was involved in a collision with a passenger van on the Don Muang expressway.

The van then crashed into a barrier near the Bang Khen exit. The passengers were thrown from the vehicle and fell several metres to the road below.

Ms Orachorn sustained minor injuries.

Pol Maj Gen Amnuay said the girl's parents were willing to negotiate with the victims and their families over compensation.

He also welcomed Thammasat University's move to set up a legal team to monitor the case. The team is also expected to represent the victims in civil lawsuits, if any.

He said police have contacted the owner of the car involved in the crash for questioning. The owner faces a fine of 2,000 baht for allowing a person without a licence to use the vehicle, he said.

Thassanawalai Krainara, director of the juvenile detention centre in Bangkok, said the Juvenile Protection and Observation Department would submit its report to police without any recommendations. She said the department was required to question the suspect, observe her behaviour and talk to the victims and their families to find ways to help everyone.

Ms Thassanawalai said the victims might file a separate complaint against the suspect and sue her for compensation if they want or join the prosecution as co-plaintiffs.

She said the offence was punishable by seven years in jail.

Laddawan Thephasadin Na Ayudhya, Orachorn's mother, denied a report her daughter had an international driving licence. She also insisted her daughter would not flee abroad to escape legal action.

Orachorn declined to comment except to say she was sorry for the tragedy. "I am sorry. It was an accident," she said.

Source:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/214638/teen-horror-crash-suspect-freed-after-being-charged

[Admin]

HORROR TOLLWAY ACCIDENT
Girl involved in tragic tollway accident says that she is sorryBy The Nation
2011-01-06

The underage driver of a sedan involved in a fatal tollway accident last week, which killed nine passengers, acknowledged the two criminal charges filed against her yesterday before saying: "I am sorry for what happened. It was an accident."

It is not known whether the girl, whose age is now confirmed as 16 and a half, pleaded guilty or innocent to causing deaths and injuries through carelessness and driving without a licence.

Police Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano, who is supervising the case, in response to questions about the girl's plea, said: "I ask for your permission to not go into details about that. She has acknowledged two offences and given information useful to the investigation."

The girl showed up with her parents at 9.20am at the Metropolitan Police Bureau building, only to face an army of reporters. However, she and her parents did not utter a word before entering the room.

After a two-and-half-hour session with police, she asked to "speak later at the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection".

When asked if she had anything to be sorry for, she replied: "I apologise. I am sorry for what happened. It was an accident."

The girl later went to the juvenile centre, where she was briefly questioned before being sent home. The centre's director Thassanawalai Krai-nara said the fact the girl turned herself in was enough reason to let her go, adding she might be summoned for further questioning later.

Amnuay said settlement between the girl's family and relatives of those killed and injured would likely be reached in the future. "The whole issue should be finalised in a reconciliatory way. But if not, the lawyers' team from Thammasat University would take civilian action for compensation," he added.

The girl's mother told reporters her daughter relied on medication for a chronic disease, and would not be going overseas as stated by an injured passenger, who claims she told him that during a recent visit to the hospital.

"The [family] was slow in taking responsibility after the accident because my daughter was still in shock and had sustained injuries," the mother said.

An uncle and widowed wife of dead victim Pinya Jinanthuya showed up at the Metropolitan Police Bureau to observe the questioning process, and said they were not ready for any talks with the girl or her family.

[Admin]

5/1/2011

Summarizes of accidents of the seven dangerous days during New Year holidays.

See full article + Video in the News section:
http://www.buriramexpats.com/buriram-news/

[Admin]

Van crash girl released without bail
By The Nation
2011-01-11

An underage driver involved in a tollway crash last month which killed nine van passengers has been released without bail, because she turned herself in to police and had not been arrested - a condition for leniency under the juvenile procedural law.

Head of the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection Thawatchai Thaikheo played down speculation and scepticism that the unnamed 16-year-old girl escaped temporary detention at a home for youths after her surrender because of "influence" from her family.

"The procedural law for youth emphasises behavioural adjustment and correctional measures rather than detention of young people in violation of laws," he said.

Unlike underage street racers sent to homes for youths after arrests by police, the girl was not arrested, and thus not subject to detention at any department facilities.

He said the law allowed decisions on home detention or whether young offenders would stay with their parents during the legal process on a case-by-case basis.

Other factors pertinent to whether young offenders were detained at a home or sent for rehabilitation included whether they felt remorseful about their acts, or needed psychiatric therapy for their misbehaviour or post-prosecution distress.

The girl has been charged with causing deaths and injuries through carelessness and driving without a licence. These could result in her receiving a jail term of up to seven years and a small fine, respectively.

Wicha Mahakhun, a former senior judge in juvenile cases in the Supreme Court, said the girl was likely to get a suspended sentence, not because of social privilege, but due to her confession, her remorse, her family's payment of compensation to victims, or mandatory rehabilitation.

Even trials for premeditated murder could end with a young offender getting a suspended jail term, he said, if they showed remorse or were willing to undergo rehabilitation or gave victims compensation.

"The juvenile procedural law focuses on changing young offenders' behaviour, not on punishing them," he explained.

While police compiled evidence and completed their inquiry and recommended an indictment, Correction officials would collect information on her post-crime behaviour, history, mental state, and that of her family, to report to judges in the juvenile court. The details would be used in considering what sentence to impose and whether to be lenient, Wicha said.

[Admin]

Girl in accident sued for Bt36m
By The Nation
2011-04-11

The family of an academic who with eight other van passengers was killed in a tollway crash 100 days ago yesterday sued the girl driving the other vehicle for Bt36 million.

In the civil lawsuit, the mother of Sastra Chaothiang said she had lost support from her son calculated from his Bt50,000 monthly salary from the Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research over the 28 years he would have worked there.

A fellow lecturer said the institute had also suffered huge financial damage following 10 years of its spending on Sastra and the scholarship it had granted him.

A separate civil lawsuit would possibly be lodged against the family of the unnamed 16yearold driver, he said.

[nookiebear]

Pleased to hear it,lets hope the other families involved follow suit!!