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Relatives of victims killed in a minivan crash involving an underage driver were expecting to meet the young driver face to face yesterday. Instead they got a very different kind of meeting.

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Relatives of victims of a fatal crash involving an underage unlicensed driver were both disappointed and bewildered after a mediation session that seemed more like group therapy. TAWATCHAI KEMGUMNERD

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Crash victims' families say mediation a waste of time

Tanaya Sittipanuwong

Relatives of victims killed in a minivan crash involving an underage driver say they are disappointed with the case's first mediation session.

Relatives of the nine victims and those injured in the accident attended, but they said it resembled "group therapy" rather than mediation in a criminal case.

The now-famous photo of Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin na Ayudhya talking on her phone after the accident

Nine people were killed on the night of Dec 27, 2010, when a Honda Civic driven by Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin na Ayudhya, who was 16 at the time, and a passenger van collided on the Don Muang tollway.

The Central Juvenile and Family Court's advisory centre yesterday held the first mediation session of the criminal case against Ms Orachorn, now 18, for reckless driving and causing the deaths and injuries of other people.

The court last month postponed its verdict on the case, pending mediation between the defendant and victims' kin.

Psychiatrists and social workers were brought in to evaluate the mental condition of the plaintiffs to find ways to help them cope with their loss.

Ms Orachorn also attended the session, but stayed in a separate room and did not meet the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs said they were disappointed with the session.

Saran Nillawan, whose daughter Sudawadee was killed in the crash, said he and his wife thought the mediation would allow the plaintiffs and the defendants to talk about what happened and how they would be compensated.

Instead, he said the session was a "waste of time".

Krit Rod-aree, the father of Kiattiman, another victim, said families of the victims had been trying for more than 18 months to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones, so he did not understand why the session with psychiatrists was necessary for them now.

The public prosecutor in charge of the case, Yuwadee Yeangyugsakol, said officials asked both the plaintiffs and the defendants about their demands, which would be compiled and submitted to the court.

The issue of compensation for families of the victims would be raised at the next mediation session on Friday.

relative – a member of your family ญาติพี่น้อง
victims – people who are killed injured or harmed in some way from an accident, natural disaster, crime, etc. เหยื่อผู้เคราะห์ร้าย
fatal – causing someone to die ถึงตาย
disappointed – unhappy because someone or something was not as good as you hoped or expected, or because something did not happen ผิดหวัง
bewildered – confused and not certain what to do งุนงงอย่างที่สุด
mediation – trying to end a disagreement between two people or groups การไกล่เกลี่ย
session – a formal meeting การชุมนุม ประชุม
therapy – a treatment which helps someone feel better, grow stronger, etc., especially after an illness การบำบัดโรค
injured – hurt in an accident or attack ซึ่งได้รับบาดเจ็บ
attend – to go to an event, such as a meeting, a show, a sports competition, etc.  เข้าร่วม (ในการประชุม, งานต่าง)
resemble – to be like or look like someone or something else มีลักษณะคล้ายกับ
criminal – relating to illegal acts เกี่ยวกับอาชญากรรม
collide – (especially of moving objects) to hit something violently ชน,กระแทก
juvenile – a young person who is not yet an adult  เยาวชน
advisory – having the role of giving professional advice ที่เกี่ยวกับการให้คำปรึกษา
reckless – not thinking about the possible bad effects of your actions สะเพร่า
postpone – to delay; to decide that something will be done at a later time เลื่อนออกไป
verdict – a decision by a court of law คำพิพากษา
pending – waiting to be dealt with, settled or completed ยังค้างอยู่, ซึ่งยังไม่จบสิ้น, อยู่ในระหว่าง
defendant – someone who has been accused of a crime and is on trial จำเลย
kin – your family or your relatives  ญาติ
psychiatrist – a doctor who treats people with mental illnesses จิตแพทย์
evaluate – to form an opinion about something after thinking about/examining it carefully ประเมิน
mental – connected with or happening in the mind; involving the process of thinking เกี่ยวกับจิตใจ
plaintiff – someone who makes a legal complaint against someone else in court โจทก์
cope – to deal successfully with a difficult situation  รับมือกับ
compensate – to pay money to someone because something bad has happened to them  ชดเชย
come to terms with – to accept something unpleasant by learning to deal with it  รับมือกับความลำบาก
prosecutor – a lawyer whose job is to prove in court that someone accused of a crime is guilty อัยการ
demand – a very firm request for something ข้อเรียกร้อง, การเรียกร้อง
compile – to collect information from different places and arrange it in a book, report or list รวบรวม
submit – to formally give something to someone so that can make a decision about it ยื่น (เอกสาร) เพื่อการพิจารณา
issue – matter; a subject that people discuss or argue about  ประเด็น

Related search: minivan crash, Don Muang tollway, Orachorn "Praewa" Thephasadin na Ayudhya