Praewa's family 'has money ready' to pay victims

Praewa's family 'has money ready' to pay victims

Orachorn
Orachorn "Praewa" Devahastin na Ayudhya (right) is escorted by her mother to report to police on Jan 6, 2011, to acknowledge charges of reckless driving over the Dec 27, 2010, deadly tollway crash. (Photo by Pattanapong Hirunard)

The mother of Orachorn Devahastin na Ayudhya has informed the Justice Ministry she is ready to pay compensation to the families of those killed or injured in a 2010 crash caused by her daughter, a senior ministry official said on Monday.

Tawatchai Thaikyo, the deputy permanent secretary for justice, said he was told by Laddawan Devahastin na Ayudhya that she had gathered sufficient funds to pay all the families of the victims.

Mrs Laddawan is the mother of Orachon, better known by her former name of Praewa. Her daughter smashed the car she was driving into a public van, killing nine and injuring four others, on Dec 27, 2010. She was 16 at the time, driving without a licence and using a mobile phone.

Orachorn is also known as Rawinbhiron Arunvongse.

The Supreme Court on May 8 ordered the driver, her parents and the car owner to pay the families of the victims 25 million baht plus 7.5% interest from the day of the accident. The total net cash payment is expected to be more than 40 million baht.

The interest will stop accruing on the day the defendants deposit the compensation with the court.

The move by Praewa's mother came as the deadline to pay the compensation money approached — Aug 28.

Mr Tawatchai said earlier on Monday that if the deadline passes without payment, the Department of Legal Execution would be asked to seize and auction off land owned by Praewa's family in order to raise the funds owed to the crash victims' families.

The land — comprising 31 plots covering a total area of 21 rai in Sam Roi Yot district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province — is being offered at 50 million baht.

A girl identified as Orachorn Thephasadin Na Ayudhya, 16, uses her mobile phone after a car she was driving was involved in a fatal crash with a passenger van on Dec 27, 2010.

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