Thread: Policeman killed in hit and run.... Another HiSo crime

Originally Posted by jabir

Thailand can only go downhill with this bunch of career crooks and liars at the helm,

As opposed to the previous century?

'Boss' case may be revived
Prayut tries to quell grave public concern

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has instructed the independent panel examining the 2012 hit-and-run case against Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya to see whether it can be revived, despite it being officially closed after the prosecutors decided not to arraign him on a charge of reckless driving causing death.


"I've asked them to study if I can order a re-investigation into the case," he said when asked about a suggestion that he should invoke his power to revive the case. "We're in the stage of establishing facts about the justice process and determining who will take charge."


Prompted by public doubts over the handling of the case by police and prosecutors, Gen Prayut last week set up a nine-member panel headed by former graftbuster Vicha Mahakhun to look into the facts and legal aspects of the case.


The premier on Monday also clarified that he had ordered the body of new witness Jaruchart Maadthong to be seized for a new autopsy in order to end suspicions about the timing of his death, not because there were suspected irregularities.


Jaruchart was killed in a two-motorcycle crash on Huay Kaew Road in Chiang Mai municipality last Thursday, shortly after his name emerged as one of two new witnesses in the hit-and-run case.


Jaruchart and Air Marshal Jakkrit Thanomkulabutr had told investigators that Mr Vorayuth was not driving at high speed and they had seen the motorcycle of Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert cut in front of his Ferrari on Sept 3, 2012. Their statements convinced the prosecutors to drop the final and most serious charge.


"I need to ensure transparency. That's all. As a supervisor of the police, I've asked them if they can [seize the body for a new autopsy]. They'll have to talk to his family. We have to lessen the doubts with facts," said Gen Prayut.


A team of doctors at Chiang Mai University's faculty of medicine on Monday concluded that Jaruchart died of massive bleeding in his brain and in his stomach and there were no injuries to suggest that he had been shot.


Assoc Prof Kanda Mekjaidee, chief of forensic medicine, said the result of the second autopsy was consistent with the first and that the doctors were waiting for the result of a blood test to see if there were any illegal substances in his system.


Mr Vicha emerged from a three-hour meeting on Monday and said that four panels had been set up to review various aspects of the hit-and-run case, including how it was handled by police and prosecutors.


The panel studying the prosecutors' performance is being headed by Borwornsak Uwanno, chairman of the law reform committee, and the one examining the police investigation is led by Khemchai Chutiwong, chair of the police reform committee.


Justice permanent secretary Wisit Wisitsora has been appointed to head another panel tasked with examining witnesses and individuals in the case who are not police and prosecutors.


It will also address reports from the now-dissolved National Legislative Assembly's panel on police and justice administration, which worked on the case and would also include representatives from the Anti Money-Laundering Office.


The other committee is in charge of legal aspects and headed by Pakorn Nilprapun, secretary-general of the Council of State.


"We'll ask the prosecutors to submit their reports," said Mr Vicha, referring to the findings of the seven-member panel of prosecutors set up to investigate the dismissal of the reckless driving charge against Mr Vorayuth. "Every document will be sent to us."


According to Office of the Attorney General deputy spokesman Prayuth Phetkhun, the panel will hold a press conference at 10am today at the government office complex on Chaeng Watthana Road, to reveal the results of the investigation so far.


Mr Vicha, however, added that it was too soon to say if the committee would recommend that police challenge the prosecutors' decision to drop the reckless driving charge and reopen the investigation. "We'll recommend action only if it can be taken," he said.


He said it also depended on whether the Wisit panel recommended that Mr Vorayuth be summonsed for questioning.


Meanwhile, the police inquiry committee will invite assistant police chief, Pol Lt Gen Permpoon Chidchob, who did not oppose the prosecutors' decision, for questioning, said Pol Lt Gen Charuwat Waisaya, vice chairman of the police's 10-member panel reviewing its own decision.


He insisted the committee was not a "paper tiger" and would take action if any officers were found to be in the wrong.


Social activist Srisuwan Janya on Monday filed a petition with the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) accusing the police and the prosecutors of negligence over their handling of the case.

'Boss' case may be revived

National Police ex-chief under investigation in ‘Boss’ case

Former national police chief Pol General Somyos Pumphanmuang and Thanit Buakhiew, lawyer of Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, will be investigated by a Royal Thai Police special committee for their alleged involvement in altering the actual car speed at which Vorayuth was driving in the 2012 hit-and-run case that killed a motorcycle police officer.


Former national police chief Pol General Somyos Pumphanmuang.


The case made nationwide headlines as Vorayuth is a Red Bull scion and heir to one of Thailand’s richest families.


Many, including Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, suspected possible corruption among state officials involved in the case. Prayut ordered an independent inquiry in 2020 led by Vicha Mahakun, a legal expert and a former National Anti-Corruption Commissioner.


The Royal Thai Police subsequently appointed a special committee to investigate the case under Vicha’s supervision.


Police Internal Affairs chief Pol General Wisanu Prasatthong-Osot, who chaired the committee, said on Wednesday that Pol Colonel Thanasit Daengjan, the investigation officer in Vorayuth’s case, had presented an audio clip indicating that Somyos and Thanit had allegedly told him to change the speed of Vorayuth’s car from 177 km per hour to just 76 km per hour.


“The reported reduction in car speed was the reason why the public prosecutor decided to drop the charge of reckless driving against Vorayuth,” Wisanu said.


“The committee will now carefully analyse the clip, interview Pol General Somyos and Thanit, and conduct further investigations to find if there were any other individuals involved in altering the true speed of Vorayuth’s car,” Wisanu added.


Meanwhile, National Police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk approved an extension of the committee’s investigation deadline to November 10.


“The committee is expected to reach a conclusion before the deadline,” Wisanu said.

National Police ex-chief under investigation in ‘Boss’ case

Meanwhile, National Police chief Suwat Jangyodsuk approved an extension of the committee’s investigation deadline to November 10.

“The committee is expected to reach a conclusion before the deadline,” Wisanu said.

And on we go....

"and on we go indeed" just when will we see someone with b---s admit it is a cover-up?