Probe finds 20 police officers allegedly mishandled ‘Boss’ report

Caitlin AshworthPublished: 10:31, 20 August 2020| Updated: 10:35, 20 August 2020

217 2 minutes read

Probe finds 20 police officers allegedly mishandled ‘Boss’ report — epa05932958 (FILE) - A file picture dated 03 September 2012 shows Thai police officers inspect a Ferrari car allegedly owned by run Vorayuth Yoovidhya (not in picture), grandson of the creator of Red Bull energy drink, in Bangkok, Thailand. A Thai court on 28 April 2017 upheld an arest warrant for the Red Bull inventor's grandson Vorayuth Yoovidhya, was was in 2012 accused of hit-and-run and reckless driving. EPA/STR THAILAND OUT

PHOTO: Southeast Asia Globe

20 police officers are accused of allegedly produced a misleading report about the Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya hit-and-run case, a Royal Thai Police panel announced. In 2012, the Red Bull heir allegedly ran over and killed a police officer in Thong Lor, Bangkok.

An independent, government-appointed panel says, due to a botched police report, the office of the attorney general, under the direction of the deputy-general, dropped a charge of reckless driving causing death in late July.

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A police lieutenant general and a police major general allegedly have been accused of failing to properly investigate the incident and produce a complete report, according to the assistant national police chief and deputy chairman of the panel Jaruwat Waisaya. The independent panel closed its investigation into the police’s alleged mishandling yesterday.

The findings are now being sent to the national police chief to consider disciplinary action against the officers who are being accused of negligence, although some of the officers involved are already retired. Panel Chairman Waisaya says some officers could face criminal charges if the mishandling of evidence is proved.

2 other panels have investigated the police involvement in Boss’s case. The National Anti-Corruption Commission investigated the case and filed charges against 11 police officers and former police officers. Waisaya says now there might be a further investigation by the commission. Another probe is by the Office of the Attorney-General.

The case has been broiling for nearly 8 years. During that time Boss, and his lawyers, have successfully evaded facing court more than 8 times. Boss eventually fled the country in 2017 by using the family private jet, flying to Singapore, and then abandoning the plane. He has been seen and several Red Bull events since and, despite Thai police insisting they are unaware of his whereabouts, photographers have been able to track him down and take photos of him a number of times.

Boss has become a figure of derision in Thailand after his immensely rich family stand accused of using their wealth and power to allegedly assist him to evade charges and punishment for the hit and run incident, He was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs, specifically cocaine, at the time he was driving a Ferrari.

Caitlin Ashworth

Caitlin Ashworth is a writer from the United States who has lived in Thailand since 2018. She graduated from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2016. She was a reporter for the Daily Hampshire Gazette In Massachusetts. She also interned at the Richmond Times-Dispatch in Virginia and Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Florida.