Verdict on Chiang Mai fatal crash deferred as additional Bt5m demanded
The Chiang Mai Provincial Court has postponed its ruling on a January 2 fatal crash to September 23 after the parents of one of the victims decided to become co-plaintiffs and demand compensation. The crash claimed the lives of 28-year-old TV host and stylist Jatupat “Centimetre” Khemnak and 30-year-old “Next to Normal” store manage Supakit Kerdsam.
The court was initially slated to read the verdict on Thursday against Wichitra Pukboonreung, 25, for driving recklessly and causing deaths and property damage, but rescheduled it after Supakit’s parents requested on Thursday to become co-plaintiffs and demand Bt5 million in compensation.
The parents said they had been angered by Wichitra’s behaviour, adding that she never contacted them to offer assistance and did not even “wai” or apologise for the accident. So, they decided to demand for Bt5 million in compensation for their son’s death.
Jatupat and Supakit were killed with Wichitra’s Toyota sedan slammed into their Honda CRV, sending it to plunge into a roadside canal in Chiang Mai’s Muang district on the night of January 2. Police said CCTV images showed that the CRV was in the correct lane, while Wichitra’s sedan was in the U-turn lane and was at fault as it drove straight, resulting in the collision.