The mother of drowned actress Nida “Tangmo” Patcharaveerapong plans to ask a court to upgrade the case against one of the people charged in connection with the speedboat accident from recklessness to murder.
Panida Siriyuthayothin has also asked police to take legal action against a friend of her daughter for allegedly using her debit card after she died last year.
Ms Panida, accompanied by lawyer Chaiwat Lomakul, on Friday filed a complaint with Crime Suppression Division police against one of the six suspects in the drowning death. She said she had obtained evidence that the person had used Tangmo’s debit card to buy goods after the actress fell into the Chao Phraya River in February last year.
Ms Panida said the person, who was a close friend of Tangmo, had used thecard at the time when rescue workers were searching for the body of her daughter. The card was used three times over a period of three days, she added.
She also said the person had received money from an accidental death insurance policy held by Tangmo. The policy paid out one million baht to her adopted daughter, who was the daughter of her personal manager.
Ms Panida said she had earlier petitioned the court to ask for 50% of the benefits from the insurance policy in her capacity as the mother of Tangmo. The case is still before the court, but the mother of the girl has already received the money.
As well, Ms Panida said she had obtained fresh evidence in the form of an audio clip from the dash-cam of a car after Tangmo’s death. In the recording, the defendant is heard telling an outsider what happened to Tangmo, said the mother, adding that she believed the person in question showed an intention to kill Tangmo to obtain financial benefits.
She and her lawyer plan to petition the Nonthaburi Provincial Court to upgrade the case against the defendant from recklessness causing death to murder.
Though she did not name the person, she apparently was referring to Tangmo’s manager Idsarin “Gatick” Juthasuksawat.
Idsarin was one of the six suspects in the case. The others were speedboat owner Tanupat “Por” Lerttaweewit, boat driver Phaiboon “Robert” Trikanjananun, Wisapat “Sand” Manomairat, Nitas “Job” Kiratisoonthisathorn and Peam “Em” Thamtheerasri.
Tangmo, 37, fell into the Chao Phraya River from a speedboat near the Pibul 1 pier in Muang district of Nonthaburi on the night of Feb 24 last year. Her body was found two days later.
The case received blanket coverage in local media, while rumours and speculation reached a fever pitch in online forums and social media.
On May 10 this year, the Nonthaburi Provincial Court gave Tanupat and Phaiboon suspended jail sentences and ordered them to perform public service.
Tanupat was sentenced to five years and eight months in jail and fined 128,000 baht. Because he confessed and showed an intention to pay compensation to the damaged parties, the jail term was halved to two years and nine months, suspended for three years, and the fine reduced to 64,000 baht.
Phaiboon was given four years and four months in jail and fined 108,000 baht. Because he confessed and intended to pay compensation, his jail term was halved to two years and two months, suspended for three years and the fine halved to 54,000 baht.
On March 2, during a court hearing to examine the evidence in the six cases, Tanupat confessed to a charge of recklessness causing death, and Phaiboon confessed to operating the boat without a licence.
The cases against the other four suspects have yet to be concluded.