Hit-and-Run Case Seen as Reflection of Inequality in Thailand
By THOMAS FULLER

BANGKOK — The Bangkok policeman was fatally struck by a gray Ferrari, his body dragged down a darkened Bangkok street. In contrast to his sudden and brutal death 12 months ago, the Thai judicial process that has followed has been slow and labored.

After repeated postponements, Thai prosecutors said Monday that the man who has admitted to the hit and run, Vorayuth Yoovidhya, the grandson of the inventor of the Red Bull energy drink and the heir to one of Thailand’s greatest fortunes, failed to show up at an indictment hearing.

Prosecutors said they had dropped charges of speeding against him because the one-year statute of limitations runs out on Tuesday.

Mr. Vorayuth still faces two other charges, and prosecutors said they would issue a warrant for his arrest. But in a case that has been described as a test of whether the rich and influential in Thailand enjoy more leniency than others, critics say the system is so far coming up short.

Monday was the sixth time that Mr. Vorayuth failed to answer summonses at prosecutors’ offices.

Mr. Vorayuth’s lawyer, Thanit Buakaew, told reporters on Monday that his client could not appear at the office that day because he was in Singapore on a business trip and was sick with the flu.

“Due to Mr. Vorayuth’s sudden illness, he will not be able to travel back from Singapore to report to the prosecutor today,” Mr. Thanit said outside the office.

His client “has not set” a return date to Thailand and has “no intention to escape,” Mr. Thanit said.

Ruecha Krairiksh, the prosecutor handling the case, said Monday that officials had tried repeatedly to reach Mr. Vorayuth and his lawyer, but that “no one answered the phone at the home number.”

“We don’t have an accused here,” Mr. Ruecha said, “so we are not able to indict him.”

If he returns to Thailand, Mr. Vorayuth, who is in his late 20s, faces the more serious charges of causing death through reckless driving and failing to stop and assist the victim.

Mr. Vorayuth left the scene after hitting the police officer, Wichean Glanprasert, so investigating officers followed traces of leaking engine fluids to the family’s luxury compound in Bangkok, where they discovered the damaged Ferrari.

But instead of arresting Mr. Vorayuth, police officers from a station near the family’s compound arrested the family’s driver.

Bangkok’s police commissioner, Comronwit Toopgrajank, said that was an attempt at a cover-up. He took charge of the investigation and reprimanded a police officer he said had tried to force the driver to take the blame.

Mr. Vorayuth was taken into police custody and admitted that he had hit the police officer with his Ferrari. But he said the officer, who was riding a motorcycle, had swerved in front of him. He was released on bail of about $15,600.

The family paid the police officer’s family nearly $100,000 in compensation.

When he took over the case, Commissioner Comronwit said he would quit if justice was not served. “The truth will prevail in this case,” he told reporters. “I can guarantee it.”

Pornanand Glanprasert, the older brother of the dead policeman, said in an interview on Monday that he was not so sure.

“If you are common people like us, I think the case is already finished,” Mr. Pornanand said.

Mr. Vorayuth, he said, “is powerful, has many connections and a lot of money.”

“He is going to try very hard not to be charged — or at the very least to get a suspended sentence or no punishment at all,” he said.

紅牛創辦人之孫 撞死警察逃國外

泰國「紅牛」飲料創辦人華裔「飲料大王」許書標的孫子瓦拉育，去年涉嫌酒後駕駛一輛灰色「法拉利」跑車在曼谷撞死一名警察後逃逸，後來雖然被捕並坦承撞死人，但檢方始終未起訴他，讓他在新加坡逍遙。

紐約時報報導，這件案子將檢視泰國的司法是否對有錢有勢的人較寬大。批評者說，泰國富人向來可免於受罰。

一年前，瓦拉育駕的法拉利撞到一名騎機車的警察，被害警察在曼谷大街上被拖行一百公尺，死得很慘。瓦拉育駕車逃逸，警方追蹤引擎漏出的液體，找到瓦拉育的豪宅，他起先還強迫司機幫他頂罪。瓦拉育被捕後以大約台幣四十六萬五千元交保，並賠償死者家屬近三百萬台幣。

這件案子司法程序一延再延。檢方三日請法院通緝廿八歲的瓦拉育，因為檢方已傳喚他六次都不到。

承辦檢察官瑞查說，檢方打算以危險駕駛致死及肇事逃逸兩項罪名起訴他，但已撤銷他的酒駕和超速罪名，因為一年的追訴期已於三日期滿。瑞查說，檢方官員多次連絡被告和他的律師，但「電話都沒人接」，所以找不到他們。由於被告未前往檢察官辦公室聆聽起訴書，因此無法起訴他。

瓦拉育的律師說，瓦拉育正在新加坡處理商務，因感冒無法返回曼谷。他未預設返國的時間，但他「無意逃跑」。瓦拉育最高可被判十年徒刑。

曼谷警察局長康隆威表示，如果司法無法伸張正義，他將會辭職，「在此案中，真相會獲勝，我敢保證」。

原文參照：
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/03/world/asia/wealthy-thai-fails-to-show-for-hearing-over-hit-and-run.html

2013-09-04．聯合報．A14．國際．編譯田思怡