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
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.
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“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.
Vorayuth, who was 27 at the time, was accused of crashing his Ferrari into a policeman and dragging his body under the car for dozens of metres before fleeing the scene.
He missed eight court summonses over the case before authorities issued an arrest warrant five years after the incident. He later disappeared, apparently abroad, according to some social media posts.
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s office said on Sunday that news of the dropped case made him feel “uncomfortable” and stressed that he had never granted personal favours.
Thailand drops charges against Red Bull heir in deadly hit-and-run
Many Thais were angered by the move to drop charges, which prompted allegations of impunity for the rich and sparked calls on social media to boycott Red Bull products.
TCP Group said it was “fully aware of the situation and truly understands consumer sentiments regarding the incident”.
Vorayuth’s grandfather was listed as the third-richest person in Thailand when he died in 2012 aged 88, with an estimated net worth of US$5 billion, according to Forbes magazine.
Red Bull GmbH sponsors the Formula One racing team, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, and soccer team the New York Red Bulls.
