Although some charges against Red Bull heir Vorayudh Yoovidhya have been dropped, serious charges relating to the alleged fatal hit-and-run are still being pursued, but the case was moving slowly, a spokesman for the attorney general said on Tuesday.
Mr Vorayudh was allegedly driving the speeding Ferrari that crashed into a traffic policeman's motorcycle, killing him, on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok in the early hours of Sept 3, 2012.
Spokesman Somnuek Siangkong said police initially charged Mr Vorayudh with reckless driving causing death and property damage, speeding, drink driving, failing to stop his car to help the victim and not reporting the crash.
Police later dropped the charges of speeding and drink driving and sent the case to public prosecutors on March 4, 2013.
On May 2, 2013, the director-general of the OAG's Department of Southern Bangkok Criminal Litigation indicted Mr Vorayudh on the charges of reckless driving and failing to stop after the crash, and challenged police by also pressing the speeding charge.
Initially police also charged the dead officer, Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, with reckless driving causing damage to the car. That charge was dropped because he was deceased.
Vorayudh Yoovidhya
Mr Somnuek admitted the speeding charge had automatically lapsed after one year under the statute of limitations in that case.
He said prosecutors had indicted Mr Vorayudh on the speeding charge, but he failed to show up in court and his lawyer claimed he was in Singapore on business and had suddenly fallen ill.
Prosecutors viewed that as a delaying tactic and sought a warrant for Mr Vorayudh's arrest.
The OAG spokesman said the main charge of reckless driving causing death remained and would proceed as its statute of limitations was 15 years.
However, the process was slow because the suspect had not met interrogators and his lawyer kept sending petitions to public prosecutors asking that they question more witnesses.
Mr Somnuek said the drink driving charge was dropped because the crash happened about 5am and a test of the suspect at 4pm that day showed a blood alcohol content of about 60 milligrammes per decilitre.
Based on that finding, it was not possible for the suspect to be drunk while driving because that would mean he had a blood alcohol content of more than 400mg/dL around 5am. At that level he would have been unconscious and unable to drive, Mr Somnuek said.
Mr Vorayudh, the grandson of Red Bull founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, was allegedly driving his 32-million-baht black Ferrari when it ran into the rear of the motorcycle ridden by 48-year-old Pol Sen Sgt Maj Wichian, of Thong Lor station, near the corner of Sukhumvit 47 Road about 5.30am on Sept 3, 2012. Mr Vorayudh, then aged 27, had left his home on Sukhumvit 53 Road about 5.12am.
A Thong Lor police officer was transferred and later dismissed after producing a driver from the suspect's family he claimed was behind the wheel at the time of the hit-and-run.
Police were also criticised for failing to seek a court order restraining Mr Vorayudh from leaving the country following his arrest and temporary release on bail of 500,000 baht after the crash.
The body of the dead police officer was dragged by the Ferrari about 200 metres along the road after the accident. He died of multiple injuries, leaving a wife and family.
Mr Vorayudh is believed to still be overseas.
Attorney General's spokesman Somnuek Siangkong, left, addresses the media conference in Bangkok on Tuesday. (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)