'Cocaine in Boss for dentistry'

Senior police officers meet the House committee on police affairs at the parliament in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)
Senior police officers meet the House committee on police affairs at the parliament in Bangkok on Thursday. (Photo: Chanat Katanyu)

Police officers have claimed that drugs, including cocaine, found in Red Bull scion Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya in the 2012 hit-and-run case were used for his dental treatment, according to a House committee.

Natchanon Srikokuea, spokesman of the committee, said on Thursday the panel had questioned officers who handled the case as to why they did not press charges related to illicit drug use against Mr Vorayuth despite a positive blood test proving the use of narcotics.

The officers said a dentist confirmed he had administered medicines which had cocaineas a component for dental treatment. When Mr Vorayuth drank alcohol, it mixed with the medicines which caused some chemical substances in the body to be released, Mr Natchanon quoted the police as saying.

However, the police did not provide clear details and had no medical documents to prove that chemical substances found in Mr Vorayuth's body were the result of dental treatment, Mr Natchanon said, adding it was just a verbal explanation.

The Royal Thai Police must provide an explanation to clear suspicion, Mr Natchanon said.

Meanwhile, Sira Jenjaka, chairman of the House committee on legal affairs, justice and human rights, said on Thursday that police will consider bringing a new drugs-related charge against Mr Vorayuth.

Mr Sira said on Thursday that his committee on the affairs of courts of justice and a panel on police will meet on Aug 5 to discuss the case.

Among those who will testify before the committee will be national police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda, Nate Naksuk, director-general of the Department of Appellate Litigation, and assistant police chief, Pol Lt Gen Permpoon Chidchob, who decided not to oppose the prosecutors' acquittal as well as two new witnesses in the case, Mr Sira said.

The secretary-general of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) said on Thursday that the agency is ready to investigate the prosecutors who dropped all charges against Mr Vorayuth.

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Vocabulary

  • acquittal: an official judgment in a court of law that someone is not guilty of the crime they were accused of - การตัดสินให้พ้นโทษ
  • clear (adjective): easy to see and understand - ชัดเจน
  • cocaine: (or coke) an illegal drug used as a stimulant -
  • committee: a group of people who are chosen, usually by a larger group, to make decisions or to deal with a particular subject - คณะกรรมการ
  • dentist (noun): a person whose job is to take care of people’s teeth - ทันตแพทย์,หมอฟัน
  • dentistry (noun): the medical study of the teeth and mouth; the work of a dentist - ทันตกรรม, งานของหมอฟัน
  • explanation (noun): a description of how something happened or happens; giving the reasons why it happened - การอธิบาย, การชี้แจง, การขยายความ, คำอธิบาย
  • House (of Representatives): the largest part of Congress in the US, or of the Parliament in Australia and Thailand - สภาผู้แทนราษฎร
  • illicit: against the law - ผิดกฎหมาย
  • narcotics: illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine or crystal methamphetamine - ยาเสพย์ติด
  • oppose: to disagree with or not approve of a plan or policy - คัดค้าน
  • press charges: to accuse someone officially of committing a crime - ตั้งข้อกล่าวหา
  • prosecutors (noun): lawyers whose job is to prove in court that someone accused of a crime is guilty อัยการ - อัยการ
  • suspicion (noun): a belief that a crime or improper activity has been committed - ความสงสัย
  • testify: to make a statement about something that you saw, know, or experienced, usually in a court of law - ให้การเป็นพยาน
  • verbal: spoken, not written - ที่ใช้คำพูด

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