Parents sue Royal Thai Police, cop for Bt72m compensation over daughter’s death
The parents of an eye doctor on Thursday filed a civil lawsuit against the Royal Thai Police and a junior policeman, demanding compensation of Bt72 million for her death caused by the cop at a Bangkok zebra crossing.
Dr Anirut Supawatjariyakul and Dr Oraweenut Nimitrwongsaskul named the Royal Thai Police the first defendant and Pol Lance Corporal Norawich Buadok the second defendant, demanding that they take responsibility for the death of ophthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul.
Waraluck was fatally injured when she was hit by a speeding Ducati motorcycle ridden by Norawich while she was crossing a zebra crossing in front of Bhumirajanagarindra Kidney Institute Hospital in Phya Thai district on January 23.
The suit said the second defendant was riding the motorcycle while he was carrying out his duties as ordered by the first defendant, which is the agency commanding him.
The suit said when the second defendant caused the damage, the first defendant must also share the responsibility.
The suit said Waraluck was deprived of income of about Bt200 million, calculated from the day she was killed until the day she was supposed to reach her retirement age.
But the parents are demanding the two defendants pay a compensation of Bt72 million, which included the funeral cost and the cost of the parents not having their daughter take care of them in their old age.
Earlier, Norawich had been slapped with several criminal charges, including reckless driving causing death and violating the speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour as he was clocked riding between 108 and 128kph at the spot.
He said the demanded compensation was not too high when taken into account the potential of Waraluck who could make more than Bt200 million had she been allowed to live and work until her retirement age.
The lawyer said an academic has calculated that the death of the doctor had caused a damage of Bt850 million to the country, but the parents had focused only on the damage they had suffered.
The lawyer said the Royal Thai Police tried to argue that the accident was a personal matter of the policeman but the plaintiff has gathered evidence that Norawich was driving recklessly on the rightmost lane and he was riding the motorcycle not for his personal business.
The lawyer said Norawich was returning from the Metropolitan Police Bureau where he was sent on an official mission and the accident happened during the government’s office hours.
The lawyer said the parents would later sue the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and other government agencies concerned for failing to enforce traffic laws regarding the safety of pedestrians at zebra crossings.
The tragic accident made headlines and compelled the BMA to take action to improve safety at the zebra crossings, including repainting the crossings and putting up road signs warning motorists of zebra crossings ahead.
The Interior Ministry also ordered provincial governors to conduct a week of safety awareness campaigns at zebra crossings nationwide next week.
