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The family of a Phra Mongkut Hospital doctor who remains in a coma after an apparent deliberate hit-and-run believe someone influential is delaying a full investigation

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Cover-up accusations fly over hit-and run

Hathaiporn: Comatose after hit-and-run

The family of a Phra Mongkut Hospital doctor who remains comatose after an apparent deliberate hit-and-run is accusing military leaders of trying to cover up the case.

The mother of Maj Hathaiporn Imwitthaya, 34, said police are dragging their feet after they were stopped by military security when trying to impound the vehicle they suspect was used in the crime.

Pannakorn Imwitthaya said the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters (RTAFH) provided police with false evidence.

She said she suspects the driver was an influential army officer, who is pulling rank to stall the investigation.

Maj Hathaiporn arrived home on Set Siri road in Phaya Thai district on June 11 at 9pm to find a Nissan sedan blocking her driveway.

She assumed the car belonged to a customer of a nearby restaurant, so she jotted down the licence plate number and asked the restaurant staff to find its owner to move the car.

Maj Hathaiporn went inside the house and when she came outside, she noticed the Nissan sedan was parked over the road.

"When she was about to get into her car, I heard the sound of a blaring horn. Then a car zoomed in and hit her, sending her into the air and landing 30 metres away," Mrs Pannakorn said. The man who drove the car looked like a military officer, she said.

A witness kept a windshield wiper that apparently fell from the car as evidence. The wiper was collected from the doctor's body.

"I suspect [the hit-and-run] was a deliberate act and that the man must know he has back-up," she said.

The licence plate number has been examined and it turned out the car was registered to the RTAFH.

Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangpraprai, chief of Metropolitan Police Division 1, denied police were dragging their feet, saying paper work took time.

Police yesterday went to the RTAFH to take the suspected car away for investigation but were blocked by security officers.

The Nissan delivered to police may be a cover-up.

Soon after, a car was delivered to the police station under the supervision of Maj Gen Pisut Pao-in, deputy comptroller general.

Mrs Pannakorn said the car was similar to the one involved in the hit-and-run and had both windscreen wipers.

She said the sedan that hit her daughter had many stickers attached to the windshield but the car delivered by the RTAFH had just one.

Pol Lt Col Chote Suwanjunee, deputy chief of Phayathai police station, said police were not treating the case as a normal hit-and-run.

"The charge is deliberate assault with intent to kill. We have footage from surveillance cameras and evidence," he said.

An army source said the Nissan sedan was on loan to a retired army general whose son, a lieutenant colonel, was being linked to the hit-and-run.

cover up – an action that is taken to hide a mistake or illegal activity from the public การปกปิด, การปิดป้อง
accusation – a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal even though this has not been proved ข้อกล่าวหา
comatose – deeply unconscious; in a coma ที่อยู่ในสภาพไม่รู้สึกตัว, ไร้การตอบสนอง
deliberate – done intentionally; done on purpose จงใจ ตั้งใจ
hit-and-run – (of a road accident) caused by a driver who does not stop to help ที่ชนแล้วหนี
drag your feet – to do something very slowly because you do not really want to do it or you want to delay it หน่วงเหนี่ยว,ทำให้ชักช้า
impound – (of the police) to official take something away ยึดไว้เป็นของกลาง
suspect – to believe that something is true, especially something bad  สงสัย
evidence – facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime หลักฐาน
influential – of a person who has the power to affect a situation มีอิทธิพล
pull rank – to use the power that your position gives you over someone in order to make them do what you want ใช้บัตรแข็ง
stall – to delay ถ่วงเวลา
investigation – the process of trying to find out all the details or facts about something in order to discover who or what caused it or how it happened การตรวจสอบหาข้อเท็จจริง
sedan – a closed car with a front and back seat for  passengers รถยนต์ส่วนบุคคลสี่ประตู
block – to stop someone or something from moving through or along something else  ปิดกั้น, กีดขวาง
assume – to accept something to be true without question or proof ทึกทักเอา, คิดว่าเป็นจริง,
jot down – to make a quick short note of something จดย่อๆ
licence plate – a flat piece of metal or plastic on the front and back of a vehicle that shows its license number แผ่นป้ายทะเบียนรถยนต์
blare – to make a loud and unpleasant noise honk ส่งเสียงดัง
horn – a device in a vehicle for making a loud sound as a warning or signal  แตร (รถยนต์)
zoom – to move or go somewhere very fast เคลื่อนตัวรวดเร็วด้วยเสียงกระหึ่ม
witness – a person who sees something happen  ผู้ที่เห็นเหตุการณ์
windshield – a windscreen; the large glass window at the front of a vehicle กระจกหน้ารถ
windshield wiper – a device that pushes water off a windshield ที่ปัดน้ำฝน
apparently – based only on what you have heard or think, not on what you are certain is true; seemingly ตามที่ได้รู้มา
evidence – facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not someone has committed a crime หลักฐาน
back-up – support
metropolitan police – the police in responsible for a city ตำรวจนครบาล
deny – to say that something is not true  ปฏิเสธ
supervision – the process of making sure that something is being done properly  การควบคุมดูแล การตรวจตรา
comptroller general – the head of a government accounting office ผู้อำนวยการตรวจสอบการเงินการบัญชี
similar – like somebody/something but not exactly the same คล้ายกัน
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
normal – typical, usual or ordinary; what you would expect ภาวะปกติ
charge – an official statement accusing someone of committing a crime ข้อหา
assault – a physical attack on someone การทำร้าย
intent – your plan or purpose จุดประสงค์
(security) footage – video from a camera that is put in a place to constantly record what happens there ภาพหรือหนังในเทปวิดีโอจากกล้องวงจรปิดเพื่อรักษาการความปลอดภัย
surveillance camera – a camera kept in a place to record what happens there, especially criminal activity กล้องวงจรปิดเพื่อรักษาการความปลอดภัย
source – someone who gives information แหล่งข่าว
on loan – borrowed   ถูกยืม
retired – no longer working because you have reached the age where you are officially too old to work เกษียณอายุ