Election win for Thai politician weeks after BMW crash sends 65-year-old man to ICU
BANGKOK, May 12 — A 28-year-old budding politician in Pathum Thani, a Thai province north of Bangkok, won the local municipal election yesterday, less than a month after being involved in a serious car crash that injured a couple in their 60s.
Smitthiphat Leenawarat whose parents are both veteran politicians, faces multiple charges including reckless driving and assault from the April 16 incident when his brand new BMW sideswiped a pick-up truck carrying 65-year-old Prachak Duangyai and his wife Somsri, 64, in Pathum Thani.
Despite the legal issues, Smitthiphat won the municipal election by over 1,000 votes, The Bangkok Post reported today.
'For over 30 years, I have been serving my fellow people. Today it is proved that Thanyaburi people love my family sincerely and seriously,' Smitthiphat's father and a former mayor, Krissada Leenawarat, awas quoted as saying in thanking voters in the municipal election.
Krissada was also reported to have addressed the ongoing crash case.
He said his family had done their best to help the victims but the matter remained unresolved due to a 'third party.'
'I will let the justice system handle my son's case and I will not exercise any influence because my family had no connections,' he was quoted as saying.
Smitthiphat's mother, Yupayao Leenawarat, is also an elected mayor of the same municipality.
'If we had not served the local people well, we would not have won the election given the recent issues of my son,' she was quoted as saying.
Smitthiphat also thanked local residents for their support after the election and pledged to serve the constituents, just like his father.
Smitthiphat was reported to have been fined 6,000 baht for driving with an expired licence in the April 16 car crash.
Following the crash, Smitthiphat appeared on national Thai TV alongside his father to explain what happened.
He claimed to be travelling at 80–100 kilometres per hour after passing a toll gate when the pick-up truck carrying the elderly couple cut into his lane, causing him to crash into a road barrier.
He claimed he was reaching below to retrieve an undisclosed item when his BMW collided with the truck again while trying to stop it for a discussion.
'I deeply regret the accident and had no intention of injuring [the victims],' he was quoted as saying by The Bangkok Post in a separate news article.
He added that he would cover medical costs and offer financial help.
The occupants of the pick-up truck were reported to have been injured in the crash.
The husband Prachak suffered six broken ribs and remains in intensive care, while his wife's condition was not disclosed in the news report.
The case remains under police investigation.
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