Security camera footage shows that a Mercedes-Benz crashed through the expressway tollgate near Rama 4 plaza about an hour before ramming into a sedan in Bang Pa-In district of Ayutthaya on Sunday, killing two university graduates, according to reports in Thai media.
New TV station aired the footage, which shows a black car driving through the automatic tollgate without waiting for the barrier to lift up, and speeding away.
The toll collector recorded the licence plate number of the vehicle, which matched the plates on the Mercedes-Benz that caused the fatal accident about one hour later, the report said.
Janepob Veeraporn, 37, the son of a wealthy luxury car importer, on Wednesday admitted to police that his reckless driving had killed the two students.
The charge was brought against Mr Janepob after the students' Ford Fiesta sedan was hit from behind by Mr Janepob's Mercedes-Benz, which was travelling at high speed along Phahon Yothin Road, at Bang Pa-in interchange in Bang Pa-in district on Sunday.
Mr Janepob sustained a knee injury. The two students died trapped inside their gas-powered vehicle, which flipped over several times and exploded in flames immediately after the collision.
The victims were later identified as Kritsana Thaworn and Thanthaphat Horsaengchai. Both were studying for their Master's degree at Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University's faculty of Buddhism in Ayutthaya.
- Earlier report: Police charge Benz driver, defend 'alcohol test failure'
The accident has been a hot topic of discussion, especially on social media where many people questioned the police investigation procedure - especially why Mr Janepob was not tested for drugs and alcohol immediately after the horrendous accident, which was filmed graphically by another vehicle's dash-cam.
Netizens were concerned the offender might escape justice as he is heir to a wealthy family.
Pol Col Surin Thubtanbuppha, deputy commander of Ayutthaya police and the new head of the investigation, said police had asked for a blood alcohol test at the Bang Pa-In hospital Mr janepob was first taken to, but he refused permission to take a sample, which he had the right to do so.
However, such a refusal always led police to believe the person was afraid of the test result, said Pol Col Surin. Police would work with the evidence available.
He said investigators would also use the latest tollgate security camera footage as evidence in the case.
His team on Friday inspected the accident scene again and found no sign that the Mecedes-Benz had braked or slowed down before the accident. Investigators would wait for the report of the forensic team before concluding the case.
The officer formerly in charge of the investigation, Phra-in Racha police chief Pongphat Sooksawat, has been taken off the case and transferred to the operations centre at Provincial Police Region 1 for 15 days, along with his deputy Pol Lt Col Somsak Pholpankhang.
In this clip from Thai Fact on YouTube shows the black vehicle crashing through the barrier at a tollgate in Rama 4 area.
