Police have now laid a charge of physical assault causing death against a young motorcyclist seen on video attacking an elderly scavenger in Bangkok two weeks ago, after the old man died in hospital on Thursday night.
Narathorn Sodtiyang, 21, had earlier been charged with assault causing injury.
Huai Khwang police chief Kamphon Rattanapratheep said Mr Narathon mow faced the harsher charge of assault causing death after Charoon Maneepan, 82, was pronounced dead at Rajavithi Hospital on Thursday at 10.50pm.
The charge was brought against him under Section 290 of the Criminal Code.
After pressing the charge, police took Mr Narathorn to the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road late on Friday morning to seek his further detention.
His wife applied successfully for his temporary release on bail of 180,000 baht.
Police told the court the suspect kicked Charoon in the chest and punched him in tthe face and would have continued his assault if another man had not pulled him away.
The elderly man's condition had gradually deteriorated after his earlier discharge from Rajavithi Hospital, because he was left bedridden.
Mr Narathorn admitted to assault causing injury but denied the new charge of assault causing death.
On March 14, Mr Narathorn surrendered to Huai Khwang police and admitted assaulting Charoon in a fit of anger.
He claimed the elderly man knocked down his motorcycle with his push-cart tricycle in narrow Soi Chan Muang 2 in Din Daeng area on the evening of March 13 and drove off without offering to assist him.
Mr Narathorn denied reports on social media he was using a mobile phone while riding his bike at the time of the accident, and not paying attention.
He was held in police custody on assault charges.
Charoon was hit with a high, swinging leg kick and then knocked off his tricycle cart to the ground. He was left bedridden and suffered from pressure sores. He was treated at Rajavithi hospital, but his family later took him home.
On Thursday they took him back to the hospital, suffering from a high fever.
His daughter Nida Maneepan said hospital staff gave Charoon CPR for about 30 minutes after he went into cardiogenic shock, but were unable to resuscitate him.
Doctors said he had a blood infection, she said.