Employer of truck rampage driver will pay damages
THE EMPLOYER of a truck driver who ploughed into 42 vehicles in downtown Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon causing an estimated Bt2.5 million in damage, said yesterday it would pay for damages above the company’s Bt600,000 insurance coverage.
Suphee Butphrom, the head of the transport division of Chaipiwat Co, said they were not aware that Ekkaphot Yossiri, 27, had committed similar crimes before.
Ekkaphot, allegedly under the influence of crystal methamphetamine, was fleeing after crashing into a policeman’s motorcycle on Rajaprarop Road and went on to crash into 42 other vehicles until his truck ran out of petrol at Sukhumvit Soi 63.
Suphee said the company checked the background of prospective employees and submitted them for a urine test but did not ask for a criminal record check with police.
He said Ekkaphot had worked with the company for four months and he kept to himself most of time and did not display any abnormal behaviour until the incident.
The company would pay for damages that the insurance policy did not cover without them having to file lawsuits, he said, adding that the company was also considering making a “Kha Tham Kwan” payment to redress the damaged persons.
