How To Get Away With Manslaughter

If you ever get into a vehicle accident in Thailand, and you are wealthy or give the appearance of wealth, here is how to get away with any charges against you. Last Monday, 27 December 2010, there was a horrific accident in Bangkok that took the lives of 9 people and injured 5 others.  The individual that allegedly caused the accident was a 17-year old girl that hit a passenger van from the rear causing the driver to lose control and sent the vehicle crashing.  Eighteen is the legal age for driving a car in Thailand

Almost immediately afterward, this photo was circulating all over the Internet showing the young lady with her smashed vehicle sending a text on her Blackberry (BB) to one of the social media web sites.

So, with 8 immediately dead and 6 others injured, the one who supposedly caused the accident is more concerned about her purse and her cell phone.

Now, here is the scenario.  You are being charged with numerous traffic violations; speeding, reckless driving, no license, and endangering others.  How do you handle it?

If you are an elite Bangkokian with a famous last name, you immediately deny everything.  This is taken from American politicians and Tiger Woods in how to handle an embarrasing situation.

Once video footage and photos start to spring up showing that you are in the wrong and don’t give a shit, you next have to try to shift blame to the vehicle you crashed into.  Failing that, you make up a third vehicle that was driving more reckless than you and you were speeding to get out of its way.

At this point, Tiger would go into hiding for a couple months and supposedly seek treatment, but this young lady doesn’t have that option.  The Thai police have only given her until January 5th, 2011, to report in and face charges.  Why she isn’t arrested immediately is beyond me.

Using this time wisely, you go to three different hospitals claiming that you are harassed at the first two and look to gain a little sympathy from those who are condemning you online and in local newspapers.  You give an interview, cry and state that you should have been the one to die.  You even admit that you were a little bit wrong but can’t go into detail on the advice of your lawyer. Everyone sees through this so you employ your mother to assist.

You send your mom to a funeral for one of the victims and she apologizes on your behalf, gives a token sum of $1,000 (30,000 baht) to the family, and claims you are suffering from – are you ready – “widespread social condemnation”.

So, your mom invents a new disease and claim you are now a victim.

This is how you get away with killing 9 people.  Never accept blame or responsibility.  Show that you are rich and powerful and above the law.  Offer money to replace the loss of a loved one.

The young lady’s father, a soldier in the Thai Army, hasn’t shown his face yet – at least in the online English language papers.  Maybe he is being beld as an ace in the hole in case the girl actually gets charged.

We will see how this plays out after 5 January to see if there are other tactics that you will want to employ to keep your ass out of jail after killing 9 people.