The public prosecutor in charge of handling the case of the death of actress Nida Patcharaveerapong, aka “Tangmo”, postponed the indictments of six suspects today (Thursday) until August 3rd.
Nonthaburi’s Provincial Prosecutor Supaporn Nipavanich explained that the indictments have to be postponed because the case file has not been returned to her from the Region 1 prosecutors, due to some unspecified technical problems, adding that the examination of the case file is well within the timeline and has not been delayed.
This is the second time that indictments have been delayed and it is reported that the suspects may lodge a petition with the Office of the Attorney-General against the delay. The prosecutor said that the suspects have the right to do so, but she insisted that the delay was not intentional, as she has already explained to the suspects.
The six suspects are the speedboat’s owner Thanupat Lerttaweewit, helmsman Paibul Trikanchananan, Wisapat Manomairat, Nitas Kiratisoothisathorn, Nida’s manager Idsarin Juthasuksawat and Peem Thamthirasri, the only suspect who was not on the speedboat when Nida fell into the river.
All face charges of causing death through negligence, which is most serious of all the charges against the six, which range from giving false statements to the police, littering, destroying evidence, using a boat with an expired licence and operating a boat without a license. Thanupat is also facing a drug abuse charge. All are out on bail.
Nida fell into the Chao Phraya River near the Pibulsongkram Pier in Muang district of Nonthaburi on the night of February 24th while travelling in a speedboat with four friends. Her body was found two days later, not far from the pier.
After a lengthy investigation, marred by social media drama and two autopsies, as well as suspicions of foul play, police finally ruled that her death was caused by recklessness, not murder.
