The Nonthaburi Provincial Court has found three suspects over the drowning death of actress Nida "Tangmo" Patcharaveerapong not guilty and sentenced another to a suspended jail term for damaging the evidence.
The court on Friday read out the verdict dismissing the charges against Wisapat "Sand" Manomairat, Idsarin "Gatick" Juthasuksawant and Peam "Em" Thamtheerasri.
Wisapat, who was a friend of the late actress, and Ms Idsarin, who was her personal manager, were on the speedboat with Nida when she plunged into the Chao Phraya River on Feb 24, 2022. Mr Peam allegedly advised people on the boat to defer reporting the incident that night to police as they had been drinking wine.
Another defendant, Nitas "Job" Kiratisoonthisathorn, was sentenced to two months in jail and fined 8,000 baht for making a false statement to police and dropping objects into the river. But the sentence was reduced to a one-year suspended term with no financial penalty as it was his first legal offence.
Two other people on the speedboat were owner Tanupat "Por" Lerttaweewit and his friend Phaiboon "Robert" Trikanjananun. The two had confessed to the charges, including recklessness causing death. They received suspended terms and paid financial compensation to Ms Panida, the mother of the late actress.
Ms Panida and public prosecutors were co-plaintiffs in the case.