Despairing husband holds solo protest seeking justice for dead wife
A despondent husband held a stake out in the traffic island in the middle of Bangkok’s Ratchayothin intersection on Thursday night to seek justice for his wife who had been killed there in October.
A social-media user found the man sitting on the island with a board explaining the tragedy, and shared the story, which brought several journalists to the spot in the wee hours of Friday.
Chokchai Baipreuk, 36, said his wife Duangjai, 33, was crushed to death by a public bus at the intersection on October 15. At around 9.40am that day, their 17-year-old son was taking Duangjai on his bike to the supermarket where she worked, when they were crashed into by bus No 39. The son managed to get away with a few injuries, but Duangjai died immediately.
Chokchai said he filed a police case and police have said that they are collecting evidence and preparing documents. He added that he has also contacted the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), which oversees public buses in Bangkok, but has received no updates.
However, he said, the bus driver contacted him and compensated him with cash personally.
Chokchai said he wanted justice for his wife as well as for someone to take responsibility for their son. He added he had lost his job due to the Covid-19 crisis and his wife was the only breadwinner in the family.
At about 1.30am, an officer from the Phaholyothin Police Station showed up asking Chokchai to move to the station because he was worried of his safety.
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