Police motorcyclist gets 1 year, 15 days jail for killing ‘Mor Kratai’
THE CRIMINAL COURT ON MONDAY (Apr 25) sentenced motorcyclist Pol L/Cpl Norawich Buadok, 21, to one year and 15 days in jail without suspension for running over and killing ophthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul on a zebra crossing in Bangkok three months ago.
He was later released on B200,000 bail pending an appeal. His father, a police sublieutenant and his immediate commander, used his position as guarantor to secure his release.
The court was told that Norawich, of the Metropolitan Police Bureau’s Protection and Crowd Control Division, was driving the Ducati Monster big bike that hit Dr Waraluck, of the faculty of medicine at Chulalongkorn University, on a pedestrian crossing on Phaya Thai Rd in Bangkok on Jan 21.
Norawich was found to be driving at 108-128km/h, well above the 80km/h speed limit. Dr Waraluck, known by her nickname ‘Mor Kratai’, died of her injuries.
Norawich was charged with nine counts: driving a vehicle with no licence plate, using a vehicle without paying the registration fee, having no third-party insurance, driving a vehicle with no side mirrors, failing to keep to the left lane, speeding, driving without due regard for safety, failure to comply with traffic signs, and reckless driving causing death.
The court initially sentenced him to two years and 30 days in prison and fines of B8,000. He was jailed for 15 days for speeding and for driving without due regard for safety and sentenced to two years for reckless driving causing death.
Norawich was fined B2,000 on each of four minor charges – driving a vehicle with no licence plate, using a vehicle without paying the registration fee, having no thirdparty insurance, and driving a vehicle with no side mirrors.
The court found him guilty of all nine charges although the initial sentence of two years and 30 days in prison was reduced to one year and 15 days’ imprisonment without suspension after Norawich confessed to all of the charges. The fine was also reduced to B4,000.
After hearing the court’s decision, Norawich’s lawyer submitted a request to forward the case to the Appeal Court.