Former transport minister crashes yet again in Thailand

Thailand‘s former transport minister Tawee Kraikupt – father of controversial politician Pareena Kraikupt – was involved in his fourth car accident in four years yesterday in Ratchaburi province, sparking concerns that the 85 year old should no longer be behind the wheel. He claims he cannot remember the collision.

A Mercedes Benz driver reported that he was driving along the middle lane of the three-lane Srisuriyawong Road, near Ratchaburi City Hall, when a white sedan in the left lane suddenly made a right turn and crashed into the rear left side of the Mercedes.

The victim was unaware that the driver who hit him was Tawee Kraikupt because the ex-minister failed to stop at the scene and drove off. Tawee later told the police that he was on his way to the air conditioning shop and was unaware of the collision.

Tawee’s daughter Pareena Kraikupt, former Palang Pracharath MP, already sought lawyers’ help to confiscate her father’s driving license once before after he crashed his car into a pickup truck in Nakhon Pathom province, central Thailand, last year. Netizens advised her to find him a driver.

Pareena said…

“I want to ask any great lawyer about what to do in this case to stop my father from driving a car, as the car is not mine and my father refuses to listen to me. He refuses to listen to family members.”

“I am worried. This news could be reported but I want to thank the media today for not bullying my father because those who have an old father will understand me.”

Pareena was once at the centre of a scandal that accused her of encroaching on public land at her home in Ratchaburi in central Thailand. The Supreme Court accepted the National Anti-Corruption Commission’s lawsuit against her and suspended her from her duties on national forest reserves.

In 2022, the Supreme Court banned her from politics for life over her land encroachment, meaning she can never run for political office or vote in an election for 10 years.

In 2019, Tawee was fined 500 baht for crashing his car into a motorcycle in Ratchaburi, injuring a 17 year old boy. Eyewitnesses accused him of trying to drive away from the accident.

In a video posted by rescue workers, Tawee can be seen honking the horn of his Mercedes and attempting to make a U-turn after a rescue vehicle blocked him in. One rescuer said he crashed again, into a fence, while rescuers were giving first aid to the teenage victim.

After the incident, he agreed to pay compensation of 14,000 baht to the teenager, whose family decided not to press charges.