The owner and the helmsman of the speed boat from which actress Nida Patcharaveerapong, aka “Tangmo”, fell to her death in the Chao Phraya River, were given suspended jail terms today (Wednesday) by the Nonthaburi provincial court.

The court found Thanupat Lerttaweewit, the owner of the boat, and Paibul Trikanchananan, the helmsman, guilty of negligence, resulting in the death by drowning of Nida on the night of February 24^th last year. They were also found guilty of operating a boat without a valid license.

Thanupat was sentenced to five years and eight months and fined 128,000 baht, while Paibul was given four years and four months and fined 108,000 baht. The prison sentence was commuted to two years and nine months and the fine reduced to 64,000 baht for Thanupat and two years and two months and a 54,000 baht fine for Paibul due to their attempts at redemption by compensating the victim’s mother, Panida Siriyutyothin.

The prison terms for both convicts were also suspended for three years, but both Thanupat and Paibul were ordered to undertake community service and to report to probation officials periodically.

The convictions of these two leave four other defendants, who are being tried separately because they pleaded not guilty. They are Nitas Kiratisoothisathorn, Wisapat Manomairat, Idsarin Juthasuksawat, Tangmo’s manager, and Peem Thamthirasri.  Only Peem was not on the ill-fated speed boat on the night of the accident.