Son of ex-Miss Thailand granted bail

His mother Savinee Pakaranang, a former Miss Thailand, submitted title deeds for land in Bang Na worth Bt6.39 million for his bail release.

The woman who died was Saichon Luangsaeng, 42, an official of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. Kanpitak faces charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder and assault and battery.

Savinee said she and her 20-year-old son were sorry for what happened. Kanpitak had wanted to attend Saichon's funeral but Savinee stopped him due to his injured condition.

She said the family was willing to pay compensation as requested.

Metropolitan Police Division 5 commander Anant Srihiran said police granted bail to Kanpitak because Savinee provided the title deeds and police had to wait for testi¬monies from the 10 injured peo¬ple.

Anant said Kanpitak initial¬ly denied all charges. He said Kanpitak's senior police official relative had not contacted him for help and insisted the case would proceed on the evidence. He also said he had not yet heard from Kanpitak's father Kananek, who said on Friday that he would take legal action against those who had damaged his son's MercedesBenz car and hurt his son.

Later yesterday, deputy Bangkok police chief MajGeneral Jate Mongkholhatthee said police were waiting for experts' opinions about Kanpitak's reported illness.

If Kanpitak was deemed to have no selfcontrol at all when he swerved his car into the crowd, he would not be prose¬cuted, Jate said, but if he was deemed conscious and had no such illness, he would face legal action as an ordinary wrongdo¬er.

Jate declined to comment as a police investigator about how it was possible for Kanpitak to have no consciousness of his actions when he pursued a bus, which he claimed brushed his car, from Soi Nana to the scene of the tragedy at Sukhumvit Soi 26. However, he offered his per¬sonal view that he did not believe it was possible.

In the meantime, teacher Yanisa Tojuan, wife of Manote Tojuan, 36, a victim who remains in Kluay Nam Thai Hospital's intensive care unit, said her husband's injuries would take six months to heal.

Urging Savinee to directly express sincerity to assist and compensate the family rather than talking to the media, she said she would proceed with legal action on behalf of Manote.

Meanwhile, Kananek yes¬terday gave a wai to apologise for his earlier comments to an upset crowd in the lobby at Samitivej Hospital, where his son is being treated.

He told reporters that his son's injuries meant it would be several days before he could be released from hospital. Kanpitak was depressed and feeling sorry about the death and injuries - so much so that he sometimes became overstressed, screamed and passed out.

He said his son's symptoms had become severe in the past three months. Asking for sym¬pathy from all sides because his son was hurt mentally and physically, Kananek said his remarks on Friday had stemmed from his fury on over¬hearing people saying his son was faking a seizure.

Last Wednesday night, after he had attacked a bus driver with a rock, Kanpitak swerved his sedan on to the footpath. Three people were critically injured and Saichon died the next day.