Over the weekend, the Chairman of the panel told the press that no one person could have been responsible for the coordinated effort to have the case against ‘Boss’ Vorayuth dropped by police and prosecutors. A summary of his report to the PM is to be published on Tuesday and made available to the public.
The Thai cabinet on Tuesday is to review a shocking report into the Red Bull case delivered within the last 72 hours to the Prime Minister’s office. A press conference on the case is to follow given by the Chairman of the PM’s panel of inquiry, former anti-corruption boss and campaigner Vicha Mahakun.
The Thai cabinet is to discuss the 100-page report delivered to the Prime Minister’s office by the Chairman of a panel set up to look into the controversy by the PM, General Prayut Chan ocha, at the end of July.
This followed a huge outpouring of anger by a sceptical public after the charges against the fugitive suspect, Vorayuth Yoovidhya, were reported as dropped by a senior police officer at the end of July.
The scandal has caused severe damage to confidence in the administration of justice in Thailand, something openly acknowledged by even senior government officials.
24th July police announcement shocked Thailand
On July 24th, Police Colonel Kissana Phathanacharoen told a press conference that the Red Bull scion, Mr Vorayuth, was free to return to Thailand as the last remaining charge of reckless driving causing death had been dropped against him based on new evidence reviewed by a senior assistant attorney general, Mr Nate Natsuk.
The now 35-year-old man, then 27, driving a Ferrari supercar, had been involved in a hit a run collision with a motorbike on the Sukhumvit Road on the morning of September 12th 2012 when on-duty 47-year-old Police Sergeant Major Wichian Klanprasert was killed riding his motorbike after his body was dragged along the road by the sports car at speed following the crash.
The senior police officer also made it clear on Friday, July 24th, that all warrants against the Red Bull heir had been dismissed and that he was free to return to the kingdom.
Suspect is the pampered son of a billionaire family whose Interpol arrest notice disappeared in 2018
The suspect, the pampered son of the billionaire Yoovidhya family which controls the Red Bull drinks empire, then fled Thailand by private plane two days before charges and arrest warrants were finally issued against him. This was a full four and a half years after the incident.
The Yoovidhya scion has been photographed numerous times in London in the UK where he took flight to in April 2017.
A Red Interpol arrest notice in relation to the case was mysteriously removed from the website of Interpol in March 2018.
Over the weekend, Mr Vicha Mahakun, the Chairman of the PM’s investigating panel, indicated that his final report would be shocking but that his findings were fully substantiated.
Please see our earlier news report here:
Explosive report delivered to the PM on the Red Bull scandal
Press conference to be given by Chairman Vicha
It is understood that tomorrow, following the cabinet meeting, a summarised copy of the report will be made public. This will be followed by a press conference given by Mr Vicha, the panel Chairman.
Mr Vicha had indicated that he has uncovered corruption linked with the case and that it may involve a vast conspiracy to thwart the course of justice in Thailand.
PM has signalled his displeasure with the initial handling of the case which has now led to the unearthing of this conspiracy and new charges
The Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha has for some weeks indicated that he is not ‘ok’ with what is known so far about the case which has seen a damning report already delivered to the police chief on the handling of the investigation and prosecution by the Royal Thai Police.
The ongoing and multiple investigations into the controversy may also see disciplinary proceedings issued against the prosecutor who dropped the charges although he steadfastly denies any wrongdoing and has already been supported in this view by an internal panel within the Office of the Attorney General.
Last week, new charges were issued as well as arrest warrants for Mr Vorayuth Yoovidhya by the Bangkok South Criminal Court.
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Further reading:
Explosive report on the Red Bull scandal exposing ‘corruption’ due at the Prime Minister’s office
Boss Vorayuth case key witness dies riding his motorbike early on Thursday morning in Chiang Mai
Expert stands by evidence that Red Bull Boss Vorayuth’s Ferrari was travelling at 177 km/ph
Strong new evidence suggests that there was no basis to prosecute Red Bull driver ‘Boss’ Vorayuth
A politically incorrect economic success: Thailand is home to some of the world’s richest people
PM calls in business tycoons to help the country crawl back to economic normality after virus
A politically incorrect economic success: Thailand is home to some of the world’s richest people
