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A family blockaded a Phuket police station and won 900,000 baht today

Family's Five Hour Phuket Police Station Blockade Ends With 900,000 Baht Payout Promise

Monday, April 7, 2014
PHUKET: The family of a Phuket road toll victim staged a five-hour blockade at Chalong Police Station today and won a 900,000 baht payout.

The money came from village headman Pradit Kongsanpipabab, owner of a vehicle involved in a collision at Chalong Circle on July 5 last year with a motorcycle ridden by Surachai Taweesin, 59.

Khun Surachai's son and other relatives could wait no longer for the case to reach Phuket provincial Court so they used family vehicles to block the entrance to the police station today.

Officers admitted that the paperwork for the case had yet to be sent to the Phuket prosecutor's office because of some gaps in evidence.

However, Khun Pradit stepped in and resolved the issue by telling the family that he would hand over 900,000 baht in compensation at the police station on Saturday.

A member of his staff was driving the vehicle at the time of the fatal crash, he added.

Comments

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Why the Chalong Police don`t send the document to the Court yet ? Evidence!! you have 1 dead and you have the driver off the van so what the problem.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on April 7, 2014 17:43

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Bjorn, the problem being that its involving the village headman, so of course will never see the full penalty.

Posted by LivinLOS on April 7, 2014 18:39

Editor Comment:

A generous village headman, who was not driving the vehicle, pays 900,000 baht. That's a problem? Just or not, a solution appears to have been found.

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In Thailand relatives of a person deceased after a traffic accident or invalidated expect to be compensated regardless of who's fault the accident was. The compensations that are given in Court are very small so they demand more. I have heard of compensations ranging from 100,000 THB up...probably depending on how much they can get out of the other party. 900,000 THB as mentioned in this case is a very high amount ...Salary of a village headman is very low, less than 10k/month so he must have had other income sources or maybe a rich family.
The payment normally leads to that a pending case at Court is dropped.

Posted by Sailor on April 7, 2014 19:01

Editor Comment:

''Invalided,'' Sailor. Generalisations don't always work when applied to individual cases, which is why we'd prefer to look at each case on its particular merits without making broad assumptions that are often quite wrong. I am not sure why people continue to rely on generalisations as if they somehow apply to all cases.

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Editor, The money came from village headman Pradit Kongsanpipabab, owner of a vehicle involved in a collision at Chalong Circle so a thing hi is not so generous, He should pay this money fore loooong time ago.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on April 7, 2014 19:36

Editor Comment:

Without knowing the precise details, it's difficult to determine right from wrong. But it does appear he is paying 900,000 baht, even though he was not driving the vehicle. That seems reasonable. I don't think he has any connection with the Red Bull family.

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This is one of the fundamental problems plaguing the Thai legal system and mentality.

Paying compensation releases you from criminal liability.

That's not justice. It just means the rich can afford to break the law at will and pay their way out of trouble.

Police have way too much leeway in conducting the investigation and forwarding the case to the prosecutor.

Posted by ThaiMike on April 7, 2014 19:46

Editor Comment:

One problem is that many police have been on Phuket long enough to understand how local influence works. That's why we suggest the Singapore approach of staffing at least one police station with officers who are willing to impose the law, no matter what, and growing the idea from there across Phuket and eventually, throughout Thailand. The party that sincerely proposes that kind of idea at the next general election will win.

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Death caused by a traffic accident is not necessarily a criminal offence, it may be negligence or purely an accident as both parties may have contributed.
Legal process does not require that every crime be prosecuted but is designed that an acceptable outcome is achieved towards those involved. Financial status cannot be considered against a person in determination of an offence otherwise there would be different fines or punishment depending on wealth.
What needs to be considered, whether that be right or wrong, is does the solution or agreement place the affected party in the best possible position to compensate for the loss or damage.
Would the family of the deceased be in a better position if the offender was jailed rather than provide compensation.. Probably not.
If the prosecution proceeded, is there a likely chance for it to be successful based on the evidence available. Can the prosecuter prove a deliberate action was the cause.
While the end result may not appear correct and both criminal and civil actions would be in the public interest, the compensation may just place the family in the best possible position available. The amount paid is not really the issue as it was accepted by the family however it may have been limited by their negotiation skills or advice received.
I don't agree with the outcome but I can see how the resolution was agreed.

Posted by Mango war on April 8, 2014 05:58


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