After two weeks of silence, the The Nation and the Bangkok Post reported today that the Thai Police will finally make an arrest on the strange hit-and-run case from last month.

Apparently, Colonel Saksit Phuklan will be charged by the Thai Police with attempted murder but this case really sounds fishy.

Thai Police cuffs and paperwork

I was beginning to wonder if this case had already gone the way of so many Thai Police cases – forgotten.  Prior to today, the last report from the Bangkok Post was on June 24th and from The Nation, July 9th.

From The Nation – Army Colonel to face charges over road rage:

An Army colonel will be facing attempted murder charges for allegedly hitting an Army doctor with his car, deputy Bangkok police chief Pol MajGeneral Amnuay Nimmano said yesterday.

Remember now, this Colonel did not come forward until one week after the accident and only when it was splattered all over the Thai newspapers and TV shows.  His daughter took her sweet time to come in for questioning and the daughter’s friend took even longer to come in and neither paper has reported if, in fact, she did report to the Thai Police for questioning.

Also, keep in mind, that the Thai Police were examining photos and video, interviewing witnesses, and poring over forensic evidence – which was supposed to be completed weeks ago.

Speaking after a threehour meeting with Dr Phannakorn “Muk” Imwitthaya and her mother, the officer said he had obtained key evidence and has asked the victim and her mother to not speak publicly about the case.

No mention of the previous “key evidence”  – the videos, photos, and interrogation testimony.

He said the compilation of scientific evidence was nearly complete, which would prove that Colonel Saksit Phooklan was the actual driver of a Nissan Neo sedan, which was seen hitting the victim on images caught on surveillance camera.

It was nearly complete weeks ago.  I don’t know why the Thai Police are dragging their feet on this.

Police investigators will finalise the attempted murder charges along with other acts of crime allegedly committed by Saksit. The colonel will be asked to acknowledge his charges next week, Amnuay said.

So nice.  Let’s wait another week to finally press charges.

Would have been nice to know how the doctor is recovering, but, Thai newspapers seldom write complete stories.

Here is the Bangkok Post’s version – Driver Saksit to be charged:

Police are to charge Col Saksit Phuklam with attempted murder after an alleged hit-and-run last month that left a female doctor in a coma.

“We will summon Col Saksit to acknowledge the charge next week,” said deputy police chief Amnuay Nimmano yesterday.

Charged with attempted murder, but let’s wait a week and ask the Colonel to come to the Thai Police station.  Amazing.

Investigators eventually decided Col Saksit was the driver of the Nissan car which hit Hathaiporn “Mor Muk” Imwitthaya, a 34-year-old doctor at Phra Mongkut Hospital, on June 11. The doctor remains in hospital with severe brain injuries.

At least the Bangkok Post mentioned the Doctor and how she is doing.

The officers and Dr Hathaiporn’s mother Pannakorn, who earlier doubted if Col Saksit was the driver of the car, agreed yesterday that Col Saksit was at the wheel after footage from security cameras showed he was driving his wife, daughter and his daughter’s friend in the car.

The Thai Police could have figured this out weeks ago.  If true, which I doubt, why is he still free.  Why hasn’t Colonel Saksit been arrested already?

Col Saksit told police that he and the doctor argued after he parked his car outside Dr Hathaiporn’s house on Set Siri Road in Phaya Thai district and blocked the entrance.

He said the doctor climbed on to his car’s bonnet and pulled a windscreen wiper off when he began to drive away. He reversed abruptly, and she fell down.

“The footage shows it was not a crash, but more like the doctor was on the car at the time, which caused her to fall,” said Pol Maj Gen Amnuay.

Not the video I saw.  The video I saw shows a car driving into the Doctor, speeding away, making a U-turn, and driving back with lights off.

Dr Hathaiporn bore no wounds which showed she was hit by the car.

This is the first mention of this.  Previous medical reports focused on the coma, but none mentioned that there were no injuries showing she was hit by a car.  Though, the video I saw, showed her getting hit in the front of her body.

“But because the incident could have caused a person’s death, police have to charge him with attempted murder,” the officer said.

This makes absolutely no sense at all.  If the Thai Police have determined that Colonel Saksit was the driver, and that Doctor Hathaiporn “Mor Muk” Imwitthaya sustained no injuries from being hit by a car, this should be either an accident with no charges, or perhaps manslaughter.  The only way the Colonel can be charged with attempted murder is if he tried to kill her intentionally.

I am shaking my head in confusion.  Initially, everyone, including the Thai Police, thought that Colonel Saksit Phuklan was covering up for either a General’s son or his own daughter.  All the key players have taken their time in reporting to the Thai Police and the results of the interrogations have yet to be revealed.

And, now, the Thai Police will wait another week for Colonel Saksit Phuklan to report in to face attempted murder charges.

Tags: accident coma doctor hit_and_run phuklan saksit thai police