Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is reported to be uncomfortable with the widespread public criticism of the decision, by public prosecutors, not to pursue the case against Red Bull heir Vorayuth Yoovidhya over the hit-and-run case, in which a serving police officer was killed.
Government spokesperson Mrs. Narumon Pinyosinwat said today (Monday) that the Prime Minister has denied any involvement or interference with the prosecutors’ handling of the case, as is being implied by some critics.
She said he has ordered authorities concerned to investigate the case from the very beginning, to find the truth, to ensure fairness to all parties concerned, and to allay public doubts about the prosecutors’ controversial decision.
The public prosecutors decided not to prosecute Vorayuth, on the only outstanding charge of reckless driving causing the death of the other people, after they obtained “new evidence” about the case, approximately eight years after the fatal accident.
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Justice and Police Affairs will meet on August 3rd to discuss the case and to invite relevant people to testify before them.
In the meantime, the House Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights has invited representatives of the Office of the Attorney-General and the Royal Thai Police to clarify on the reasoning behind the prosecutors’ decision to drop the charge, and the police’s decision not to challenge that ruling.
The House committee will also invite Pol Lt-Gen Kamronwit Toopkrachang, then the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, as well as the last two witnesses to make formal statements in the case.
It is reported that the “evidence” provided by the last two witnesses prompted the prosecutors not to pursue the case.
The two witnesses claim that Vorayuth was not speeding, as earlier alleged by the police, but drove his Ferrari within the 80kph speed limit and, instead, it was the victim who was careless when he suddenly cut in front of the car, causing it to collide with the officer’s motorcycle.
