Inmate charged over death of drink-driver in Si Sa Ket prison

Inmate charged over death of drink-driver in Si Sa Ket prison

Surin Kethom, mother of Prompanya Kethom, accompanied by lawyer Ronnarong Kaewphet, files a petition with Justice Ministry officials calling for justice for her son on April 24. (File photo)
Surin Kethom, mother of Prompanya Kethom, accompanied by lawyer Ronnarong Kaewphet, files a petition with Justice Ministry officials calling for justice for her son on April 24. (File photo)

An inmate has been charged with causing the death of a Songkran drink-driver detained in Si Sa Ket prison as the investigation continues the death and possible negligence by prison officials.

The announcement follows a visit by Corrections Department chief Naras Savestanan and his deputy Pol Lt Col Prawut Wongsrinil to the prison on Thursday.

They were following up on the death of Prompanya Kethom, a drink-driving offender detained after being unable to pay his fine during Songkran. Prison officials initially said he fell down in the washroom and died in hospital from his injuries.   

Pol Col Naras said prisoner Samart Meekhun, who was being held in the same cell as Prompanya, had been charged with colluding in physical assault causing death.  

The department chief, who contributed money from his own pocket to help the dead man's family, said the investigation had progressed to a certain extent, and was now being extended to find others involved.

At this stage no prison officials were implicated, but some may have been negligent in their duty, resulting in the assault leading to the death of a prisoner, Pol Col Naras said.

He was awaiting the results of the fact-finding probe by the Ubon Ratchathani prison chief.

The dead man's mother, Surin Kethom, lodged a petition with the Justice Ministry on Wednesday, seeking  justice for her son, saying her family was not convinced he died from a fall in a washroom.

Prompanya, 40, was behind bars because his family could not afford to pay a fine of 6,000 baht after the Si Sa Ket provincial court found him guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol. He was caught on April 14 during the Songkran festival road safety campaign.

The family suspected Prompanya was physically assaulted while in detention. They were not convinced by prison officials’ claims he died of injuries from a fall after going to sleep while sitting on the edge of a bathtub. They saw bruises over his body and his swollen face when they went to the hospital to see him. 

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