Suspended jail term in line with global practice: judge
THE criminal punishment meted out to a young woman whose driving on a Bangkok tollway resulted in nine deaths in 2010 - when she was underage - followed international practice, Supreme Court judge Sri-amporn Salikupt said yesterday.
“She was a minor at the time of the accident. For juveniles, courts focus on rehabilitation, not incarceration,” she said.
Some people have questioned her punishment this week when it becomes final that she should receive a suspended jail term, plus an order to perform community service and a temporary driving ban.
One victim’s family said they felt the driver – now 21 – showed no remorse for the misery and pain that she caused.
The sentence became final on Monday when the Supreme Court upheld the earlier verdict and threw out an appeal by the defendant.
Sri-amporn, who was not involved in the case, said that according to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, a jail term would be the last option for penalising juvenile convicts.
“Besides, this was an accident, not a murder,” she said.
The defendant could also be liable to monetary claims. “Being a minor does not affect civil proceedings. Compensation is based on actual damages,” she said.
