The Royal Thai Highway Police will press charges against Smitthiphat Leenawarat, the son of a prominent Pathum Thani politician, following a traffic incident.
The case involves a collision between Mr Smitthiphat's BMW and a pickup truck driven by 65-year-old Prachak Duangyai. His wife, Somsri, 64, was a passenger in the vehicle. Both sustained injuries in the crash, with Mr Prachak currently in intensive care.
The incident occurred on Bangkok's eastern outer ring road in Pathum Thani province on Wednesday morning.
Police said the case has two parts. The first is reckless driving and property damage. Investigators are preparing to charge both drivers under the Traffic Act, with potential fines of up to 4,000 baht.
Mr Smitthiphat will face an additional charge for driving without a valid licence, as his licence expired in June 2021.
Police also addressed public concern over the red number plate on Mr Smitthiphat's BMW. Checks revealed inconsistencies with the vehicle's registration. The Department of Land Transport will investigate further.
The second part of the case involves the serious nature of the collision, which resulted in significant injuries to the elderly driver.
The woman passenger has already given a statement, but Mr Prachak remains in critical condition and is unable to speak at this time.
Police assured the public the investigation would proceed fairly, despite Mr Smitthiphat's family connections to influential local and national politicians.
He is the younger brother of a Pheu Thai MP representing Pathum Thani and the son of a former mayor of the Thanyaburi subdistrict municipality.
