SONGKHLA: The son of a former politician has been charged with reckless driving, causing death, and illicit drug use after he hit a group of students in tambon Samnak Kham in the Sadao district on Wednesday, killing two students and injuring 13 others.
Chanaporn Uetrakul, from Songkhla's Provincial Education Office, on Thursday visited the students from Ban Phru Tiao School, who were being treated at Hat Yai Hospital, on behalf of Education Minister Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob. The suspect, Wissanu Tongsai, 35, told police that a motorcycle had suddenly cut in front of his pickup, causing him to lose control and his truck hit the students.
However, Pol Col Sudjarit Petchjom, Sadao Station superintendent, said investigators did not believe his testimony and conducted a drug test, which returned a positive result for amphetamines.
Muhammad Senmuli, director of Ban Phru Tiao School, with 120 students and 12 teachers, said the school had just carried out its annual scout hike that day. Many of the students were resting at a nearby checkpoint, about 500 metres from the school, which was designated a hiking stop.
The pickup truck, driven by Mr Wissanu, who is the son of a former member of the Samnak Kham Municipal Council, crashed into the checkpoint, where at least 20 people, both students and teachers, were carrying out safety checks.
Mr Muhammad said that the truck crashed into a road barrier at a high speed, sending the vehicle over the drainage ditch before smashing into the checkpoint.
Students, Assananee Langputay and Suriya Jantra, died at the scene. Their bodies were sent to their families for a funeral.
The crash also injured 13 people, including Patcharee Intalay, a teacher who was in charge of the checkpoint. Six of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
Eight students and teachers are receiving treatment at Hat Yai Hospital. Two others are now at Sadao Hospital, while three have been discharged.
The school will pay each deceased student's family 10,000 baht, while those whose relatives were injured will receive 5,000 baht, said Mr Muhammad.