Buriram Expats
Buriram Province - General Category => Thailand News clippings => Topic started by: TBWG on September 03, 2012, 08:15:31 PM
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Red Bull co-creator's grandson held after Bangkok death
Vorayuth Yoovidhya was detained after police traced petrol to the family home
A grandson of Red Bull's late co-creator Chaleo Yoovidhaya has been arrested on suspicion of running over a policeman with a Ferrari in Bangkok.
The Thai police officer died after he and his motorbike were dragged some distance down a road.
Police said they had followed a petrol trail to the family estate where they detained Vorayuth Yoovidhaya, 27.
Bangkok's police chief took over the inquiry as a lower-ranked officer was alleged to have covered up the matter.
The police superintendent involved was transferred to another post after a bogus suspect was detained.
Police found a badly damaged Ferrari sports car at the family home in Bangkok
Vorayuth Yoovidhaya was led away from the family home as police inspected a dark grey-coloured Ferrari sports car with a dented front bumper, a crumpled bonnet and a damaged windscreen.
The officer killed, 47-year-old Sgt Maj Wichean Glanprasert, had suffered a broken neck and multiple broken bones, the Bangkok Post reported.
The suspect's grandfather, Chaleo Yoovidhaya, died earlier this year, having built up an estimated $5.4bn (£3.4bn, 4.5bn euros) fortune from the worldwide sale of the Red Bull energy drink, which he established in partnership with Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz.
Police chief Lt Gen Comronwit Toopgrajank himself went to the family's estate on Monday as part of the investigation.
"A policeman is dead. I can't let this stand. I don't care how powerful they are. If I can't get the actual man in this case, I will resign," he told reporters, according to AP news agency.
The Red Bull heir is facing a charge of causing death by driving and failing to stop at the scene and could face 10 years in jail.
TBWG buriram_united sawadi
I particularly like the quote "A policeman is dead. I can't let this stand. I don't care how powerful they are. If I can't get the actual man in this case, I will resign," Time will tell.
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If I can't get the actual man in this case, I will resign, cos I don't have to work anymore after that massive back hander!
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and I will be the Director of security for Red Bull with a most impressive uniform with loads of medals on it! yeahme yeahme yeahme
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To prove the point!
Top China official Ling Jihua in surprise demotion
A close ally of China's president has been demoted, according to state media, in what is seen as a surprise move.
Ling Jihua had been tipped for promotion in the country's leadership change, which starts later this year.
Correspondents say Mr Ling's demotion may have been the result of political manoeuvring ahead of the change, which happens once every 10 years.
But there have also been reports that his son's involvement in a Ferrari car crash may have been to blame.
Ling Jihua held a senior position in President Hu's government as head of the Central Committee's General Office, in effect the chief of staff to China's leader.
He was moved to the less influential position of head of the United Front Work Department over the weekend.
'Too serious'
The BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing says the decision may have been part of the political jockeying as China's new generation of leaders vie to get their allies into top jobs and shore up support ahead of the power transfer.
But there are also rumours in China that Mr Ling's son may have been driving a Ferrari that crashed in Beijing earlier this year.
The identity of the passengers was never revealed and censors blocked online comments mentioning the crash, but there are reports that his son was behind the wheel and may even have been killed.
Our correspondent says that with growing public anger at official corruption, the Communist Party would have wanted to avoid a scandal that exposed the privileged lifestyle of the ruling elite.
"The central leadership decided that the scandal over the incident was too serious to allow Ling Jihua to be promoted, and Hu Jintao really couldn't resist," one retired party official told the Reuters news agency.
TBWG buriram_united sawadi
Moral Rich kids and Ferrari's = problems!
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Have you seen the picture in todays Thai Newspaper showing the 'wanker' with his smiling Grandad after the arrest
Makes your blood boil