The Central Juvenile and Family Court on Friday postponed delivering its verdict in the case against an 18-year-old girl charged with unlicensed and reckless driving and causng the tollway accident which killed nine people travelling in a passenger van on Dec 27, 2010.
The court said there were civil and criminal court cases still unsettled in this matter. It combined consideration of the cases and set the next hearing for July 2.
The hearing was attended by the defendant, unlicensed teenage driver Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin Na Ayudhya, her parents, and families of the nine people who died in the crash.
Thawil Chaothiang, whose son Sastra Chaothiang was among the nine fatalities, said she wanted the defendant to apologise for her part in the accident two years ago.
Thawil Chaothiang (Photo by Tawatchai Kemgumnerd)
"Although the accident occurred two years ago, I'm still sad. Every day when I wake up I still see my son's face.
"I have received a sum of money from an insurance company and 30,000 baht from the defendant, but since then I have not been contacted by them again," Mrs Thawil said.
The father of another of the victims, Dr Krit Rod-aree, whose daughter Kiattimant Rod-aree - a student at Thammasat University - died in the crash, said he wanted the case to set a standard for Thai society about wealthy parents who buy cars for their children who are not mature enough and too young to have a driver's licence.
"The parents must be responsible for what happened and I'm still waiting for the defendant to apologise," he said. "After the verdict is out, I believe the defendant will file for an appeal and will want the crashed Honda Civic back."
Thongpoon Panthong, the mother of passenger-van driver Narumon Pitatanang, who was among the fatalities, said she believed the evidence was strong enough to convict the defendant.
"My daughter was not driving fast or recklessly because if she was driving faster than the defendant's car the accident would not have happened and nobody would have died.
"Even though the defendant might not have the intention, the incident would not have occurred if she was more careful," Mrs Thongpoon said, tears running down her face.
She hoped justice will be done.
Praewa and her parents arrived via the back entrance to the court to avoid answering questions from the many reporters.
After the court issued its statement, the teenage girl and her parents left immediately, without talking to the families of the victims. (continued below)
Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin Na Ayudhya is seen toying with her smart phone right after her car crashed into the passenger van on the Don Muang expressway on Dec 27, 2010. (File Photos)
On Dec 27, 2010, nine people were killed when the car Praewa was driving ran into a passenger van on the Don Muang expressway.
The van then hit the barrier near the Bang Khen exit. The passengers and driver were thrown from the vehicle and fell several metres to the road below.
Praewa sustained only minor injuries.