Mother takes paralysed son, 3, to seek help

Mother takes paralysed son, 3, to seek help

Paweena Hasap, carrying her paralyzed 3-year-old son Prabpram “Nong Palm
Paweena Hasap, carrying her paralyzed 3-year-old son Prabpram “Nong Palm" Jermkhunthod, seeks help from justice deputy permanent secretary Thawatchai Thaikhiew (right) on Friday. (Photo by Tawachai Khemkumnerd)

A woman whose 3-year-old son has been paralysed since being hit by a hospital vehicle in Khon Kaen two years ago has turned to the Justice Ministry in her battle to get help.

Prabpram “Nong Palm’’ Jermkhunthod was seriously injured when a pickup truck from the Ban Mai health promotion hospital in Khon Kaen’s Si Chomphu district hit a motorcycle being driven by his father on July 28, 2015.

Her son was left paralysed after the crash, Paweena Hasap said. He was numb from the chest down to his legs, could not walk and had no control over his bladder and bowels.

Prabpram still required constant medical treatment.

Ms Paweena and her son were accompanied by Kosolwat Inthuchanyong, deputy spokesman for the attorney-general's office, when they met justice deputy permanent secretary Thawatchai Thaikhiew at the ministry on Friday.

The OAG deputy spokesman took the boy and his mother to seek advice from the deputy permanent secretary and to seek compensation from the ministry’s Justice Fund.

After the meeting, Mr Thawatchai said a lower court had already given its ruling on the case. 

The court sentenced the driver of the hospital vehicle, who was a volunteer, to six months in prison and a fine of 3,000 baht, but the jail term was suspended for two years, he said.

The family of the victim filed a civil suit seeking 5 million baht compensation from the Public Health Ministry and the office of the ministry’s permanent secretary. Talks had been held on the amount of compensation on several occasions, but no conclusion had been reached, Mr Thawatchai said.

“The Justice Ministry has accepted the case. Initially, the victim will receive 40,000 baht in compensation for medical treatment, 30,000 baht for physical therapy, 300 baht a day for lack of income for a period of one year, and other financial assistance of not more than 30,000 baht that the Justice Fund committee finds the victim should be entitled to,’’ he said.

A public prosecutor would take the woman and her son to meet the permanent secretary for public health Jetsada Chokdamrong  on Friday afternoon to discuss the civil suit regarding the compensation. The ministry would send a representative to jointly discuss the case, he added.

If the negotiations on  compensation fell through, the Justice Fund Office would provide a lawyer and cover court fees for the victim, he said.

Ms Paweena had on Oct 16 asked the Office of the Attorney-General to provide legal assistance because her family had no money to fight for the court battle over compensation for her son.

She said her husband Sarawut Jermkhunthod, 30, and their son were travelling on a motorcycle that hit the hospital pickup truck as it was making a U-turn at Ban Mai intersection in Si Chompu district, Khon Kaen on July 28, 2015.

Her son’s head had slammed into the truck’s body. The pickup's driver was identified as Ket Nathomthong, 68, a volunteer at the Ban Mai health promotion hospital in Khon Kaen’s Si Chomphu district.  

She and her husband filed a civil suit seeking 5 million baht compensation from the Public Health Ministry and the office of the ministry’s permanent secretary. They were required to front 50,000 baht for court fees, but they did not have the money.

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