'Boss' extradition lost in translation

'Boss' extradition lost in translation

Vorayuth Yoovidhya is brought to the Police General Hospital to undergo a blood test on Sept 4, 2012. (Bangkok Post file photo)
Vorayuth Yoovidhya is brought to the Police General Hospital to undergo a blood test on Sept 4, 2012. (Bangkok Post file photo)

Police have not sent their request for the extradition of Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya because their staff have not finished translating it, the Bangkok police commissioner said on Tuesday.

The 33-page document was sent to the Foreign Affairs Division at the Royal Thai Police Office for translation into English, said Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathaworn, the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

As the Foreign Affairs Division might have problems with its translators, he would order the Metropolitan Police Division 5 to quickly hire a certified translator, Pol Lt Gen Sanit said, adding he hoped the translation would be completed in a few days.

The Bangkok police chief denied that the police were trying to delay the process of bringing Mr Vorayuth, 31, to trial. He said the slow progress was a technical problem and police were doing their best to get the suspect.

The chief responded to a remark last week by Amnat Chotichai, chief of foreign affairs of the Attorney General's Office, that police had not sent their extradition request to prosecutors.

Before dawn on Sept 3, 2012, a black Ferrari allegedly driven by Mr Vorayuth slammed into a policeman on a motorcycle, dragging his mangled body along Sukhumvit Road, before speeding away.

Mr Vorayuth had delayed hearing the charges seven times, citing various reasons. It was not until April 27 this year that the prosecutors finally charged him with reckless driving causing death and failing to help a crash victim.

The speeding charge had been dropped as its one-year statute of limitations had expired.

His passport was cancelled and an arrest warrant was issued for him after he flew out of Thailand on his private plane two days before he was due to face the charges.

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