Six people acquitted of facts tampering to support Vorayuth Yoovidhya escape justice
PUBLISHED: 22 Apr 2025 at 16:31
Former deputy attorney-general Nate Naksuk has been sentenced to three years in jail and another ex-prosecutor was given two years for helping Red Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss ” Yoovidhya in the 2012 hit-and-run in which a police officer in Bangkok was killed.
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Circumstances ruled on Tuesday in the case against eight accused accused of tampering with evidence to help the heir of one of Thailand’s wealthiest individuals evade fairness.
Former federal police commander Somyot Poompanmoung and five others were acquitted of the costs.
Prosecutors had accused the eight accused of dereliction of duty, among other crimes, with the important matter being the shift in the noted acceleration of the Ferrari driven by Mr Vorayuth. This led to the departure of his prosecution for reckless generating leading to a accident.
The judge ruled that Chainarong Saengthong-aram, next top prosecutor, violated Section 172 of the Corruption Prevention and Suppression Act by collaborating to change see statements and reduce the noted speed of the Ferrari. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
The jury found Mr Nate, next lieutenant attorney-general, made a decision on the situation without relying on details. This was a violation of Section 157 of the Criminal Code, dereliction of duty by a common standard. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
The judge ordered the two people to remain in custody pending an elegance and loan application.
Former federal police commander Poompanmoung arrives at the court on Tuesday. He and five others were acquitted of wrongdoing charges stemming from the famous 2012 hit-and-run event. ( Photo: Chanat Katanyu )
The six acquitted accused were Pol Gen Somyot, next the federal police captain; Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai Mekprasertkul, next chief of the Police Forensic Science Division; Pol Col Veeradol Thapthimdee, next Thong Lor police research commander,; Chuchai or Pichai Lertpongasiron; Thanit Buakhiew; and Assoc Prof Saiprasit Kerdniyom, an electrical safety scientist.
Mr Vorayuth crashed his Ferrari into a scooter driven by Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert in the early days of Sept 3, 2012, in the Thong Lor suburb of Bangkok.
Instead of stopping to help the victim, Mr Vorayuth, next 27, drove off, dragging the victim’s system for about 200 yards, without informing specialists about what he had done later.
Following a lengthy analysis, three charges were pressed against him, but he has not been brought to justice. After consistently failing to appear in court, he fled the country in 2017.
Mr Vorayuth is believed to invest most of his time in London where his family has home. Officials say they have enlisted the help of Interpol to arrest the suspect but with no result thus far.
Some charges against him have been dropped, including a speeding demand after its one-year statute of limitations expired in 2013, followed by another cost of failing to support an incident target, which expired in 2017.
The last remaining charge against Mr Vorayuth, causing death by reckless driving, carries a penalty of up to 10 years in jail, and expires in September 2027.
Forensic police inspect a motorcycle belonging to Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert of Thong Lor police station and a Ferrari driven by Vorayuth Yoovidhya ( lower right ), the youngest son of Red Bull executive Chalerm Yoovidhya, following the accident in September 2012. ( Bangkok Post file photos )