• 
• 

Published on September 1, 2007

The case officer, Lt-Colonel Yannawut Liamkaew, said the negotiations had "nothing to do" with the criminal charges of murder, attempted murder and assault against Kanpitak, which the police investigator will conclude for the Criminal Court within a week.

Further talks will be held on September 14.

Prior to the negotiations at Thonglor police station, Kanpitak's mother Savinee Pakaranang, a former Miss Thailand, told reporters that she would talk about compensation with four of the 12 victims. The other eight have already agreed to the compensation proposed.

However, Savinee later told reporters the two-hour talks had not reached any conclusion. Her side wants each victim to submit details of their damages claim to help her understand why they are demanding such a large sum.

One injured victim, Sangwan Srihawong, 40, initially asked for Bt6 million, but following discussions with Sangwan's lawyer Prakobrat Dechakul, the amount was lowered to Bt3 million, Savinee said.

Sucheera Insuwan, 25, whose mother Saichol Luangsaeng, 42, was killed in the incident said the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) had sent a lawyer to help her family seek compensation. She said she had initially asked for Bt7 million, which she was in the process of negotiating.

"Such an amount of money can never replace my mum's life," Sucheera said, adding that the BMTA had also assisted the family by hiring her for her mother's previous position as an accounts clerk.

Two other victims - bus driver Sathaporn Arunsiri, 37, and bus conductor Somjit Klaewkla, 35 - who were both slightly injured, asked for Bt70,000 and Bt73,000 in compensation respectively.

Yannawut said that if both parties could agree upon compensation, they would no longer need to file a civil lawsuit.

In the July 4 incident, a Mercedes-Benz slammed into a crowd of people who had just been ordered to alight from a bus. This followed an accident between the bus and the car and an altercation between the two drivers.

The Pachimsawas family claimed Kanpitak, who was identified by witnesses as the Benz driver, suffered from epilepsy and that he had been treated at a mental hospital this year.

The Nation