Thai police to probe why hit-and-run charges against Red Bull heir were dropped

Vorayuth ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya is accused of causing a policeman’s death in a 2012 crash

The decision to drop the charges against him has stirred public anger over Thailand’s entrenched culture of impunity for the rich and well-connected

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Vorayuth ‘Boss’ Yoovidhya. File photo: AP

Published: 1:41pm, 27 Jul 2020Updated: 1:41pm, 27 Jul 2020

Police in Thailand on Monday said they would look into why criminal charges were dropped against the heir to the Red Bull energy drink fortune, who was accused of a 2012 hit-and-run killing of a police officer while driving a sports car.

The decision to drop the charges against Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya has stirred public anger about the country’s entrenched culture of impunity for the rich and well-connected.

The charges had included speeding, hit-and-run and reckless driving causing death.

“A committee has been set up to ascertain the facts for transparency and fairness to all parties with regards to actions of the police, ensuring they were acting in accordance with the law and regulations,” the national police said in a statement.

The committee will report its findings in 15 days.

The announcement comes after the Office of the attorney general said it would also probe the decision.

Red Bull has sought to distance itself from Vorayuth, the grandson of the late Chaleo Yoovidhya, who created the energy drink Krating Daeng, or Red Bull. Calls have been growing to boycott its products amid anger on social media.

The Ferrari that was allegedly involved in the hit-and-run accident. Photo: AFP