News Forum - Prosecutors charge policeman over zebra crossing death in Bangkok

[Thaiger]

Prosecutors have indicted a junior police officer whose motorbike struck and killed a woman on a zebra crossing in Ratchathewi, Bangkok last month. He was riding a Ducati big bike when he struck the female doctor at an alleged speed of over 100 kilometres per hour. The Office of the Attorney-General has announced that Pol L/C Norawich Buadok will stand trial on nine charges eventuating from the fatal incident. The young officer was working for the Protection and Crowd Control Division’s sub-division 1. Pol L/C Norawich has been indicted on charges relating to the death of opthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul on January […]

The story Prosecutors charge policeman over zebra crossing death in Bangkok as seen on Thaiger News.

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[Mike]

Apparently Thailand doesn’t have the charges of reckless or negligent homicide…

[Lifeboat]

He should counter and blame the country for not properly educating their drivers.  A police officer should know and respect law better.  If they had proper education,  standards, and enforcement  the incident  may have never happened.   It's not all his fault.

[Stonker]

30 minutes ago, Mike said:

Apparently Thailand doesn’t have the charges of reckless or negligent homicide…

I don't know where you got that from, but they do - S290 or 291.

He can always be subject to other charges such as those later, if appropriate,  subject to the statute of limitations, just as he could in most Western countries.

Just as in most Western countries, all that's required for now are sufficient charges to hold and oppose bail.

[Stonker]

4 minutes ago, Lifeboat said:

It's not all his fault.

Maybe you missed the end of the article:

"The family has also filed a case against the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Traffic and Transportation Office and the Road Safety Centre, for alleged “negligence in safety management at pedestrian crossings” "

 

[AussieBob]

36 minutes ago, Mike said:

Apparently Thailand doesn’t have the charges of reckless or negligent homicide…

Apparently not.  Quote:  "The nine charges include driving a vehicle with no licence plate, using a vehicle without paying the registration fee, having no third-party insurance, driving a vehicle with no side mirrors, failing to keep to the left lane, speeding, failure to comply with traffic signs, and driving a vehicle recklessly."

I guess in Thailand that means no one drives so recklessly that they cause death and can be charged for that. But to be fair, maybe the charges of manslaughter or murder will come at a later time. 

@TimothyN - any chance you could ask Ben Hart at Integrity Legal in one of those videos, whether drivers can be charged with manslaughter or murder in Thailand.  That could be a good video - the issues involved with what an Expat should do if they are involved in a serious car accident when in Thailand. As per the last video - running to your Embassy gates for help is not the right thing to do. 

[Convert54]

There is a degree of confusion  for me in this item.

As far as I know the "defendant" was  already  charged  with 9 offenses in relation to the death.

Are all of these  charges being pursued  or have they been reduced in terms of obvious  blatant culpability  in the death? IMO it matters nothing that he is a Policeman. In fact subject to equivalent application if not more than some other  yabba dabba doo-ed on a noisy  Honda Wave running down a victim  and killing them !

What is sickenly sad about this is that it is basically only because the victim in this scenario was a person of more than average status . Had it been some aged street vendor or even a vagrant  who despite  "low " status was  using a designated street  crossing in compliance with actual purpose for safety it would already have been dismissed if noted at all  !

For those that live with the illusionary state of belief that "the little people" are insignificant  forget that they are the ones who enable the existence of those who consider '(themselves) of greater significance !

 

 

[Fanta]

1 hour ago, Lifeboat said:

He should counter and blame the country for not properly educating their drivers.  A police officer should know and respect law better.  If they had proper education,  standards, and enforcement  the incident  may have never happened.   It's not all his fault.

Bollocks. It’s all his fault. He can read a speed limit sign and passed  the motorcycle license written and practical riding tests. He was doing between 108 and 128 km/h in an 80km/h km/h zone and killed someone on a pedestrian crossing on a bike he had owned for a month. Plus the other charges. That he is a cop riding an unregistered, uninsured, unroadworthy bike speeding in the wrong lane makes it even worse. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Fanta
Added speed limit.

[Soidog]

Hopefully one less Imbecile off the Thai roads. Just another few million left to go. 

[Mike]

15 hours ago, Stonker said:

I don't know where you got that from, but they do - S290 or 291.

He can always be subject to other charges such as those later, if appropriate,  subject to the statute of limitations, just as he could in most Western countries.

Just as in most Western countries, all that's required for now are sufficient charges to hold and oppose bail.

You’re right.  Of course they do…. And I knew that… I was just being sarcastic because the way The Thaiger summarized the charges, it didn’t seem as though he has been charged with reckless or negligent homicide.  Other news sources have phrased it differently, leading one to infer that he has in fact been charged with the Thai version of a reckless homicide.

[Stonker]

1 hour ago, Mike said:

You’re right.  Of course they do…. And I knew that… I was just being sarcastic because the way The Thaiger summarized the charges, it didn’t seem as though he has been charged with reckless or negligent homicide.  Other news sources have phrased it differently, leading one to infer that he has in fact been charged with the Thai version of a reckless homicide.

I think you've put your finger on the source of any confusion .

[Lifeboat]

On 2/22/2022 at 7:37 PM, Fanta said:

Bollocks. It’s all his fault. He can read a speed limit sign and passed  the motorcycle license written and practical riding tests. He was doing between 108 and 128 km/h in an 80km/h km/h zone and killed someone on a pedestrian crossing on a bike he had owned for a month. Plus the other charges. That he is a cop riding an unregistered, uninsured, unroadworthy bike speeding in the wrong lane makes it even worse. 

He will get away with it.  After all isn't  this the same country that  Pardoned  a serial killer, let him out and he did it again?