The Nonthaburi provincial public prosecutors decided today (Wednesday) to indict six suspects allegedly connected with the fatal fall into the Chao Phraya River on February 24th of the late TV actress Nida Patcharaveerapong, aka “Tangmo”.
Deputy Spokesman for the Office of Attorney-General Prayut Petchkun told the media this morning that five of the suspects, who were on the speedboat on the night she fell into the river and drowned, face charges of negligence causing the death of another person, which is the most serious of all the charges filed against them.
The six suspects reported to the prosecutors’ office in Nonthaburi to be informed of the indictments. They are the speed boat-owner Thanupat Lerttaweewit, helmsman Paibul Trikanchananan, Nitas Kiratisoothisathorn, Wisapat Manomairat, Nida’s manager Idsarin Juthasuksawat and Peem Thamthirasri, who was not on the speed boat.
The six were informed of the various charges against them, which range from giving false statements to the police, littering, destroying evidence, using a boat with an expired license and operating a boat without a license.
The chief public prosecutor in charge of the case, Supaporn Nipavanich, said that the speedboat owner faces an additional charge of drug abuse.
From all the evidence gathered, she said that there is nothing to suggest that Nida’s death was a murder, but it does point to negligence.
The six were later granted bail by the Nonthaburi Provincial Court, with bails posted ranging from 90,000 to 210,000 each. They are scheduled to report themselves to the court on September 21st.
After a lengthy investigation, marred by social media dramas and two autopsies, as well as suspicions of foul play raised by people not connected with the case, police finally ruled Nida’s death was caused by recklessness.
