Bangkok’s acting police chief said Monday that Thong Lor police made an obvious error by not charging the Red Bull energy drink heir with drink driving after his 2012 hit-and-run accident, but their intent remained unclear.
"The initial investigation found an apparent flaw in the case file submitted to public prosecutors, as it did not contain a drink-driving charge but only speeding charges," Pol Lt Gen Sanit Mahathaworn told the media.
He said he was surprised that a charge of "drink after drive" was included instead.
"Why did it have this charge? It's not an offence. They began with drink-driving, but after the investigation they ended up with 'drink after drive'," he said.
National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda last week instructed Pol Lt Gen Sanit to determine why the case against Vorayudh "Boss" Yoovidhya was taking so long and to expedite it.
Mr Vorayudh, who reportedly fled the country, faces three charges in connection with the fatal incident early Sept 3, 2012 in which Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, a Thong Lor traffic officer, was killed. The speeding charge was dropped after its one-year statute of limitations expired.
Mr Vorayudh was found to have had a blood alcohol concentration level of 64.8 milligrames per 100 millilitres of blood, which exceeds the legal limit of 50mg per 100ml. But his lawyer claimed the young billionaire drank alcohol after the fatal accident due to feeling stressed.
The prosecutors did not indict Mr Vorayudh for drink-driving either "because even though the alcohol test results exceeded the legal limit, they could not tell whether Mr Vorayudh drank before or after the accident, despite the test being conducted in the afternoon," according to a senior prosecutor previously in charge of the case, Ruecha Krairiksh.
Pol Lt Gen Sanit said the investigation would also target a senior police officer who took the Yoovidhyas' housekeeper to the Thong Lor police station allegedly to make him a scapegoat for Mr Vorayudh.
The acting city police chief said the investigation was making progress and pledged to "clarify all doubts raised by the public" regarding the case. However, he said he could not tell yet if the police in charge of the case refused to charge him with drink driving in order to help him.
"if investigators don't distort facts, injustice will not happen and all cases will be completed based on just principles. The law exists to protect the good regardless of their wealth and all must be treated equally," Pol Lt Gen Sanit said.
Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian's elder brother Pornanand Klanprasert, told the Matichon newspaper that he had expected legal proceedings in the case to be "extremely slow".
"In big cases in our country, those with money can be exonerated or have penalties relieved. If the poor commit an offence they are probably indicted quickly," Mr Pornanand noted.
Arrest warrants on charges of reckless driving causing death and failing to stop his vehicle to help Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian were issued after Mr Vorayudh had failed to report to police to answer the charges.