Panel says Boss Voovidhya arrest warrant still stands

The arrest warrant for Red Bull scion Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya remains in place, despite a request from police that it be withdrawn, according to the head of the independent panel examining the 2012 hit-and-run case. Vicha Mahakun, who chairs the panel, was speaking yesterday after a second meeting of the panel, ordered by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha amid public outrage over public prosecutors’ decision not to indict Vorayuth.

The panel learned from the chief judge of Southern Bangkok Criminal Court that police had requested the warrant be cancelled but the move was opposed by a group led by former Bangkok senator Rosana Tositrakul, who petitioned the court against the police request.

The court therefore asked police to withdraw their request, which they eventually did, according to Vicha, who added that especially since the Office of the Attorney General has announced new evidence in the case and that a fresh probe is likely to be ordered, “the warrant should not be revoked.”

Vicha says his panel is due to question the Attorney General’s team.

The deputy chief of Bangkok’s Thong Lor police station says investigators will question new witnesses as soon as they receive an order from the OAG. He was responding to the OAG’s findings about a formal inspection of the speed of Vorayuth’s Ferrari when it crashed into the rear of the motorcycle of 47 year old police officer Wichian Klanprasert, killing him, on September 3, 2012. It also referred to a medical exam on the suspect that found narcotics, including cocaine, in his bloodstream.

A member of the panel said Tuesday the new evidence involves statements by 2 experts about the Ferrari’s speed at the time of the fatal crash. Prayuth Petchkhun, who is also a deputy spokesman for the OAG, told the House committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights yesterday that a new piece of evidence found by the OAG’s panel showed Vorayuth’s Ferrari was going as fast as 177 kmh.

The report was prepared by a physics lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Science. The discovery of narcotics in Vorayuth’s body also justifies additional charges against the suspect and a new probe into the substances, according to Prayuth.

SOURCES: Chiang Rai Times | Bangkok Post