The actor who crashed his jet ski into a small boat on the Chao Phraya River in Samut Prakan's Phra Pradaeng district on Saturday night, killing two people, was allegedly not qualified to drive a jet ski.
The Provincial Marine Office's Samut Prakan Branch on Monday issued an order banning use of the jet ski, which was legally registered, and called in Shindanai Sae Lim, 21, the jet ski rider at the time of the accident, and its owner to give their accounts of what happened.
They were also asked to bring relevant documents, including the jet ski's registration papers and helmsman certificate.
However, it was reported that Shindanai does not have a helmsman certificate. As a result, he could be charged with driving a boat without a certificate and might have to pay up to 10,000 baht in fines, face a jail term of up to six months, or both. He arrived on Monday at around 11.45am at the Provincial Marine Office's Samut Prakan Branch, together with his father, to meet with the agency's officials.
According to him, he was among a group of 11 people travelling on five jet skis to a pier in Chom Thong district in Bangkok when the accident occurred.
His girlfriend, Nanyaree Minhongdee, 17, and her 41-year-old mother, Onlada Silanong, were riding on his jet ski.
He said the accident happened because he could not see the boat crossing the river, as it had no lights, and the river in that location was very dark.
However, a social media user who knew the driver of the small boat, Prayoon Uampathum, 64, cast doubt on Shindanai's account, saying that Prayoon always used a headlamp.
The crash resulted in Prayoon drowning along with his 44-year-old passenger, Parichat Hoiman.