Compensation petition lodged in 'Praewa 2' case

Compensation petition lodged in 'Praewa 2' case

Relatives of 2011 crash victims call for justice

The Justice Ministry shows the name list of the victims to receive the financial compensation in the Praewa case on Thursday. Relatives of the victims of another fatal accident in Phayao province seek help from the ministry for quick compensation. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)
The Justice Ministry shows the name list of the victims to receive the financial compensation in the Praewa case on Thursday. Relatives of the victims of another fatal accident in Phayao province seek help from the ministry for quick compensation. (Photo by Pornprom Satrabhaya)

The Justice Ministry has been asked to help speed up compensation payments to relatives of the victims killed in another car crash after its successful intervention in the high-profile Praewa case.

Other than 230,000 baht given to the victims' relatives under the 1992 Road Accident Victims Protection Act, the family of Phatsakon Duangchit has received nothing from the passenger van driver and his company, the parties responsible for the crash. 

"I've seen the news that the ministry has taken action to speed up the compensation payment process in the Praewa case, so I hope for the same justice," he said on Thursday as he lodged a petition with the ministry, in a new case dubbed "Praewa 2".

Pol Sgt Maj Phatsakon decided to bring the issue to Tawatchai Thaikyo, the deputy permanent secretary for justice, who appeared on television helping expedite the payments of 42.6 million baht in damages to the relatives of nine people killed in a car crash on Don Muang Tollway on Dec 27, 2010.

Orachon "Praewa" Devahastin na Ayudhya, then 16, was found guilty after ramming her car into the rear of a passenger van carrying students and staff of Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus.

It took nine years for the Supreme Court to hand down a final ruling demanding that Praewa pay the money, in May of this year. Social pressure also played a role in prompting her to comply with the verdict.

Pol Sgt Phatsakon said he had to wait eight years because the case, which also involved a passenger van, has just now reached the Supreme Court and is currently being heard.

The accident occurred on Dec 31, 2011, about one year after the Praewa accident. New Year's Eve, which is listed as one of the country’s “dangerous days”, is often prone to road accidents, when a large number of people flock to their home provinces for the long holidays. 

That day, the van driver nodded off and slammed his vehicle, carrying 13 people from Nakhon Sawan province, into a tree on a road’s median strip in Muang district of Phayao province.

Two people were killed and three others suffered severe injuries.

Among those killed was Pol Sgt Phatsakon’s sister Kanyarat Uatrang. Her 15-year-old son, Natchanon, was also seriously wounded.

“My mother has fallen ill since my daughter’s death. Some of my family members later died, including my nephew,” Pol Sgt Phatsakon said.

Natchanon was killed in another accident in 2017.

In addition to being handicapped, his 77-year-old mother has many illnesses, including a heart disorder.

“I want to seek justice for my family. I'm afraid we'll die before we get the compensation.”

The court of first instance ordered the driver and his company to pay the seven victims 700,000 baht each. The compensation increased to 1.7 million baht by the Appeal Court. 

Ronnarong Kaeophet, president of the Network for Campaigning for Justice in Society, said while the final ruling on the case had yet to be handed down, the company and the driver should take responsibility by helping the victims as soon as possible.

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