[911_993_911]

In Thailand, we don't see much road rage. Which can be a bit surprising as there are a lot of bad drivers out there. I am always getting people cutting in front of me or tail gating me. The following article from the Bangkok Post is a rare occurrence of road rage. The guy in question got angry with a bus driver who he said cut him off. At the next intersection he got out and threw a rock at the driver's head. Apparently the passengers were all pointing and taking pictures of this, and so, after they were told to get out of the bus to catch another one, the driver then got back into his car and drove straight into the group of passengers killing one of them. Enraged by his actions, witnesses then attacked the driver.


Man rams car into bus passengers, killing one
6th July 2007
BANGKOK POST REPORTERS

A son of a former Miss Thailand winner has been charged with murder and attempted murder after he ran over several bus passengers with his car, killing one and injuring a number of others, following a quarrel with the bus driver on Wednesday night. Kanpithak Patchimsawat, 20-year-old son of Sawinee Pakaranang and Kan-anek Patchimsawat, accused Sathaporn Arunsiri, 37, the driver of bus No 513, of hitting his car while in the Asoke area.

After a brief argument, both left the scene. When the bus stopped at a traffic light at Aree intersection near Sukhumvit Soi 26, Mr Kanpithak left the car to approach the bus driver. The driver then told passengers to leave the bus for another vehicle. Before they could be picked up, Mr Kanpithak got back into his car and rammed it into the waiting passengers. Three people were trapped under the car when it came to a stop.

Eyewitnesses and other passengers tried to lift the Mercedes to free the victims, who were taken to Chulalongkorn Hospital. One victim, Saichon Luangsaeng, 42, was pronounced dead at the hospital yesterday while two others are being treated for serious injuries.

The angry crowd then turned on Mr Kanpithak, assaulting him before police stepped in. He is being treated at Samitivej Hospital.

Pol Lt-Gen Adisorn Nonsi, the metropolitan police chief, said police would treat all sides fairly. Mr Kanpitak is the nephew of Ukrit Patchimsawat, retired deputy police chief.

Police are awaiting the results of an alcohol test and medical records of Mr Kanpithak, who was reportedly once treated at Galaya Rajanagarindra Institute and has a problem with self-control.

The family of Mrs Saichon yesterday filed a complaint with police. Her daughter Sucheera Insuwan, 25, said the family wanted Mr Kanpithak prosecuted. Mrs Saichon, a financial officer of the state-run bus agency, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, was among passengers waiting when the Mercedes hit her.

Mr Kan-anek, father of Mr Kanpithak, says he will take all responsibility for what happened.

The family agreed to pay compensation to the injured and the family of the dead victim.

At a press conference, Mr Kan-anek and Mrs Sawinee, who are divorced, expressed regret.

Mr Kanpithak had suffered from depression and his body would stiffen in a fit when enraged, his father said.

His son would be ordained to make merit for the dead victim.

[911_993_911]

Driver apologises to victims
Arrest warrant for murder and assault served on Kanpitak in hospital

The Nation, 8th July 2007

Kanpitak Pachim-sawas yesterday apologised to his seriously injured victims for the first time since he swerved his Mercedes-Benz sedan into a crowd of people on a Bangkok footpath on Wednesday night.

The 20-year-old man expressed his remorse on the same day the court issued an arrested warrant for him on three grave charges - premeditated murder, attempted murder and assault and battery.

The notice was delivered to him at Samitivej Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment for injuries.

The apology came to the public in the form of brief note he wrote to Saengmanee Imsolary - one of the injured - at Camillian Hospital. It was passed to Saengmanee together with a bouquet by Kanpitak's mother Savinee Pakaranang, a former Miss Thailand.

"To Khun Saengmanee and family, I deeply regret the devastation to your lives caused by my action. I apologise, Ham," said the note. Ham is his nickname.

The message became the first time the young man, claimed by his family as having mental problems, had communicated with the victims since he ploughed into them.

Savinee said Kanpitak was worried about them and wanted to say he was sorry directly himself, but he could not get out of his hospital bed due to thrombosis in his legs.

He was wounded as angry bystanders attacked him for killing one person and seriously hurting two with his Benz.

"Ham does want to take action against those who assaulted him. I want everyone to listen to his own words when he gets well. I beg the media to justify him," Savinee said.

Her words contradicted what Kanpitak's father Kan-anek said on Friday, that he would take legal action against those who had damaged the Benz and hurt his son.

Colonel Jirawat Phumijit, superintendent of Thonglor police station, said he would discuss with doctors a good way to detain Kanpitak while under arrest.

Families of victims have gradually reported to police to demand compensation from Kanpitak and take legal action against him.

Representatives of Nam Song Hotel in Laos, where Laotian Saengmanee worked, reported to investigators at Thonglor police station, determined that they wanted to take criminal action against Kanpitak.

Saengmanee is still in serious condition with three broken ribs and a big wound on her back.

Wisit wisitsora-at, director of the Justice Affairs Office under the Justice Ministry, offered assistance to victims and families who had difficulties in taking legal recourse against Kanpitak. He said the Justice Fund under his office could provide financial support.

While being condemned by the public as a "spoiled hi-so brat", Kanpitak has also received moral support from his fan club. A website www.moohamfanclub.th.gs was launched to "protect and give moral support" to Kanpitak. However, the website was open for public comment for just several hours.

At noon, Kanpitak's fan club decided to shut down the site as too many messages censuring Kanpitak were posted.

[ireleda]

Yea, Now they will spread the grease and the hurt people will get 10,000 baht to bury the dead and that HISO will walk away to do the same thing again.
Don't you just love the corruption in all matters legal here.

[Yswxomvy]

I have just read an article about "Road Rage".I thought I'd share it with you.

Normally, I guess we think road rage stems from an attitude problem. But I just found out that there's a biology and cognitive science to it. In fact, there's a medical term for it-Intermittent Explosive Disorder or IED.

IED involves angry outbursts that are way out of proportion to the situation (and during a serious attack, like in the case cited, crashing your car into a pack of bystanders!). This disorder involves inadequate production or functioning of the serotonin, a mood-regulating and behavior-inhibiting brain chemical.

For its treatment, antidepressants, including those that target serotonin receptors in the brain, are often helpful, along with behavior therapy similar to anger management.

[greeferweq]

if you are in the uk you will see countless episodes of road rage because of various reasons, we have so many rules here that when someone does something wrong you feel angry that they were allowed to flaunt the rules. I don't get road rage but to the people that do if you were in a bar and a very big guy who could squash with one hit pushed in front of you would you still express that rage i don't think so. that is because in your car you think you are equal and powerful. there is a famous case here where a guy got road rage and stopped to argue with the other guy who simply pulled out a gun and shot him. in thailand how can you have road rage, you would have to have bouts of road calm as you get cut off 10 times on a five minute journey.

[UltraSearchs]

Pol Lt-Gen Adisorn Nonsi, the metropolitan police chief, said police would treat all sides fairly. Mr Kanpitak is the nephew of Ukrit Patchimsawat, retired deputy police chief.

Police are awaiting the results of an alcohol test and medical records of Mr Kanpithak, who was reportedly once treated at Galaya Rajanagarindra Institute and has a problem with self-control.

The family of Mrs Saichon yesterday filed a complaint with police. Her daughter Sucheera Insuwan, 25, said the family wanted Mr Kanpithak prosecuted. Mrs Saichon, a financial officer of the state-run bus agency, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, was among passengers waiting when the Mercedes hit her.

Mr Kan-anek, father of Mr Kanpithak, says he will take all responsibility for what happened.

The family agreed to pay compensation to the injured and the family of the dead victim.

At a press conference, Mr Kan-anek and Mrs Sawinee, who are divorced, expressed regret.

Mr Kanpithak had suffered from depression and his body would stiffen in a fit when enraged, his father said.

.His son would be ordained to make merit for the dead victim So he's the son of an ex-miss Thailand and a nephew of a retired dep police chief, his parents will pay a bit of compensation, he'll shave his head for a week and everything will carry on as normal. Yeah it suck don't it

[SOgLak]

paul_au said: - "Well I have a bad habit of enraging people .........."

[911_993_911]

The newspaper article you missed last week was the report of this guy getting into another accident with a bus in Bangkok! Everyone is asking why is he still able to drive.

[KojlinMakolvin]

Well I have a bad habit of enraging people who sit on my tail to close, I start to slow down and hold up the traffic and the more they toot there horn the slower I go.

[SkeniaInhilla]

ROAD RAGE CASE

'Mu Ham' freezes up in court

The first day in the trial of Kanpithak Pachimsawat was briefly adjourned after the defendant failed to answer questions at the provincial court at Phra Khanong yesterday.

Mr Kanpithak, better known by his nickname Mu Ham, appeared tense and nervous and did not respond to the judge's questions.

The court adjourned for a while to give him time to relax.

When the hearing resumed, Mr Kanpithak denied charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder. However, he pleaded guilty to assaulting another person.

The charges arise from an incident last July when he drove his car into a crowd of bus passengers in Bangkok.

Mr Kanpithak, 20, is the son of Miss Thailand 1984 Sawinee Pakaranang and businessman Kan-anek Pachimsawat.

Mr Kanpithak is accused of smashing a rock into the face of bus driver Sathaporn Arunsiri at 10.50pm on July 4 near Sukhumvit soi 26 in Wattana district, after his Mercedes Benz was involved in a minor incident with the bus.

Mr Kanpithak is also accused of ramming his sedan into bus passengers who had assembled on the nearby pavement, seriously injuring three people, including Saichon Luangsaeng, 42, who later died in hospital.

The prosecutor told the court he would present 19 witnesses over three hearings.

Mr Kanpithak's lawyer will present only two witnesses in one hearing.

Manoch Tojuang, Sangwal Seehawong and Suchira Inthasuwan yesterday applied to the court to be co-plaintiffs in the case. The court agreed.

The three are relatives of those injured and killed in the incident.

The co-plaintiffs and other damaged parties, including representatives of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority which operates the bus, have asked the court to order the defendant to pay them compensation.

The court adjourned the hearing until Nov 18, while summoning all parties to settle compensation deals together on April 10. Ms Suchira, Saichon's daughter, said Mr Kanpithak's father had offered her 500,000 baht compensation, but she has not decided whether to accept.

Bangkok Post

[timmybrown]

Everyone is asking why is he still able to drive.

Because his insanity is only temporary and selective and therefore should be able to continue to drive. You don't expect him to take the bus do you?

[timmybrown]

Funny. This report did not mention anything about his "brush" with a public bus again last week... or anything about him telling people after the accident that he knows high ranking police officers.

[SkeniaInhilla]

Just found another two examples of road rage in the Phuket Gazette:


Thursday, July 12, 2007

Students charged over roadside beating

RASSADA: Two second-year university students were arrested after allegedly assaulting a man at an accident scene on Soi Phaneang on July 2.

When Phuket City police arrived at the scene, they found the two students, named by police as “Wit”, 22, and “Karine”, 23, both from Pattani province, beating 30-year-old Jaroonsak Khongjit, an employee of Phuket Adventure company.

Pol Capt Atthapol Wannasaengthong of Phuket City Police Station told the Gazette that the incident happened after the students’ motorcycle and Jaroonsak’s motorcycle bumped while they were riding on Soi Phaneang.

The collision caused the student’s motorcycle to crash to the ground. K. Jaroonsak was assaulted when he went to apologize to the students, said Capt Atthapol.

“I asked them why they beat him and they said that they were angry,” he said.

“People at the scene reported that one of them had a gun and used the gun to hit Jaroonsak. When we frisked them we found a homemade gun with bullets,” Capt Atthapol added.

Both students were charged with committing bodily harm and illegal possession of a firearm.


Thursday, July 12, 2007

Man surrenders over road rage shootings

PHUKET CITY: After a four-day manhunt, a Patong man wanted in connection with the shooting murder of two youths in front of Kaset Market, the fresh market near Robinson department store, turned himself in to police early yesterday morning.

The suspect, 33-year-old building contractor Sukkasem Charoenrat, has denied the charges.

Police say they have testimonies confirming that Sukkasem was pulling his Honda Phantom chopper out onto Ong Sim Phai Rd around 10 pm July 5 after having a meal with his 10-year-old son at the Jay Nang khao mun gai stall outside the PS Inn.

Witnesses said that as he began to accelerate away from the stall, two youths approached at high speed on another bike and crashed into the chopper, Phuket City Police Duty Officer Lt Theeradet Jiraksa told the Gazette.

The youths approached the man, whose son was slightly injured, and tried to apologize.

Instead of accepting their apologies, Sukkasem allegedly pulled out a pistol and began firing.

Many people eating at street side stalls in the popular dining area ran for cover or fell spread-eagle to the ground.

After firing about seven shots, the man and his son calmly got back on the chopper and rode off.

A restaurant owner who witnessed the incident alerted police.

Officers arrived to find Phuket Technology School student Nuttapong Naweewong, a 17-year-old native of Koh Yao, dead at the scene. A 9mm bullet had entered his left temple and exited from the right.

Witnesses said the other youth, 19-year-old Sarawut Jitlang of Satun, was shot once in the head while trying to flee. He was rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital, but died soon after arrival. Sarawut was a crew member for a speedboat ferry service to Koh Phi Phi Don, police said.

Also rushed to Vachira Phuket Hospital was bystander Anucha Waree, 18, who was shot in his left arm.

Lt Col Amponwat Sangruang from Phuket City Police said that investigators visited Sukkasem’s home in Patong on Friday, but he was not there.

A 9mm handgun was discovered at the house, police said.

A warrant was issued for Sukkasem’s arrest on Saturday. He turned himself in at Kathu Police Station yesterday at 5:30 am.

Sukkasem has been charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder and carrying a gun in public without a permit, added Col Amponwat.

The case has been sent to Phuket Provincial Court. Sukkasem is being detained at Phuket City Police Station.