The case became a prominent symbol of impunity for the wealthy in Thailand after all charges were dropped in 2020.
Key Facts
- Date of incident
- 3 September 2012
- Victim
- Wichian Klanprasert, Thai police officer
- Suspect's age at time
- 27 years
- Charges filed
- Speeding, fleeing scene, reckless driving causing death
- All charges dropped
- July 2020
- Suspect never arrested
- True
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Vorayuth Yoovidhya, grandson of Red Bull co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, was driving in Bangkok in the early hours of 3 September 2012. His vehicle struck and killed police officer Wichian Klanprasert. Vorayuth fled the scene without stopping, prompting charges of speeding, fleeing an accident, and reckless driving causing death.
Wichian Klanprasert, a Thai police officer, was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Bangkok when Vorayuth Yoovidhya's vehicle struck him. Vorayuth, then 27 and heir to a billionaire family, was identified as the driver but was never taken into custody despite multiple charges being filed against him.
The statute of limitations on the speeding charge lapsed in 2013 and the fleeing charge in 2017. In July 2020, all remaining charges against Vorayuth were dropped. The case drew widespread criticism and became a widely cited example of how wealth and social status can shield individuals from criminal accountability in Thailand.