A former senior prosecutor has admitted that he helped Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya in a notorious 2012 hit-and-run case as a compassionate gesture because the driver was a friend of his niece.
Chainarong Saengthong-aram, one of eight defendants accused of mishandling the high-profile case in which a policeman died, is alleged to have purposely underreported the speed of Mr Vorayuth’s Ferrari at the time of the accident.
Originally the car was estimated to have been travelling at 177kph, but the figure was reduced to under the legal limit of 80kph.
The case is scheduled for trial in the Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases starting on Sept 10.
Mr Chainarong said he was glad to have the opportunity to prove his innocence as various committees, including the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) and the attorney general, have treated him unfairly.
He said he would present evidence showing that a video used against him by the NACC and the attorney general had been edited.
“I will file a counter-suit, totalling seven cases, against the attorney general, including misconduct and malicious prosecution, to subject me to criminal penalties,” Mr Chainarong said.
When asked if he handled Mr Vorayuth’s case with integrity, he said: “The accused has the right, according to the Criminal Procedure Code, Section 134, to present facts in his favour.”
Mr Chainarong said he helped Mr Vorayuth because the young man was a friend of his niece.
Before getting involved, he said, he checked Section 797 of the Civil and Commercial Code to see if he had the legal right to intervene in the case and found that he could do so as a citizen, not as a prosecutor.
At that time, he was a prosecutor in the jurisdiction of the Criminal Court, Criminal Division 6. “But [Vorayuth's] case occurred in the precinct of the Thong Lor police station, which is under the jurisdiction of the Bangkok South Criminal Court,” he said.
“I am a prosecutor but also a human being. How is it wrong to help friends or relatives when the case is not within my jurisdictional responsibility?”
When asked whether he had received anything in return for his actions, he said: “Just a generous courtesy for being a helpful friend.”
“I did not receive any money. You can check my financial records," he added.
Mr Vorayuth, now 39, faced several charges in the aftermath of the 2012 accident but his lawyer managed to secure numerous postponements from the courts. Five years after the incident, he still had not been indicted, and the Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant. He then took a private jet to Singapore and has been at large ever since. He is believed to spend most of his time in London.
Only one charge — reckless driving causing death — remains outstanding, with the statute of limitations due to expire in 2027.
