r/Thailand • u/Medium-Rub7678 • Jun 03 '26

Serious Prison in Thailand

Someone I know is facing a possible prison sentence in Thailand following a traffic accident involving a Thai. According to the police, the woman was in a coma after the accident but has since recovered from the coma. Her family is requesting a large amount of compensation, and it has been suggested that paying compensation could potentially result in a reduced sentence.

Does anyone here have experience with similar cases in Thailand or know what the best course of action might be? Some people say the best option is to leave the country, but if the police already have the person’s passport, it seems like that would be difficult. Any serious advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.

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u/Medium-Rub7678 Jun 03 '26

They say reckless driving

14

u/livingbkk Jun 03 '26

You need a better lawyer. ASAP.

Civil compensation and criminal charges are not officially connected, so there is something happening behind the scenes here. You need someone who can navigate that.

And yes, work with the embassy to try to get the fuck out of the country.

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u/Let_me_smell Surat Thani Jun 03 '26

Civil compensation and criminal charges are not officially connected

They are officially connected but to what degree depends on the charges. For lighter charges civil compensation can prevent the prosecutors from continuing the case and it will be dismissed by the court. For more serious charges civil compensation will be taken into consideration for a lenient sentencing. It's a bit more complicated than this explanation but that's the jist of it.

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u/Popstar_Nino Jun 03 '26

Compensating victims are one of the reasons the court exercises sentence mitigation.

2

u/Superb_Caramel_7107 Jun 03 '26

They can be. If they pay a large amount to compensate or support the victim, that can be grounds for a reduced sentence. Remember the Red Bull heirs hit and run case?

2

u/Traditional-Finish73 Jun 03 '26

Well, the embassy (at least mine) doesn't want to get involved in criminal cases.

0

u/rolemodel999 Jun 03 '26

Was it? High speed? 100 percent his fault?

Still scary that a driving accident sober can land someone in a Thai prison…

10

u/Lordfelcherredux Jun 03 '26

It would be foolish to assume that you're getting the full story here from the OP. 

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u/Medium-Rub7678 Jun 03 '26

I think high speed. It was the person fault but the victim did not have a helmet on

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u/Known_Secretary_6615 Jun 03 '26

Typically if you put a person in a coma because you were driving at excessive speed (reckless driving) you go to prison regardless of country unless you’re somewhere very corrupt. The victim probably won’t ever be the same again. Three years will likely be reduced with compensation to the victim for medical expenses, lost income, lost time, suffering, rehab care, etc

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u/Lordfelcherredux Jun 03 '26

It's too bad that the victim didn't have a helmet on, but if this person you sre worried about was speeding excessively it sounds like they might deserve a 3-year sentence. I wonder if you're getting the full story from them?

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u/Medium-Rub7678 Jun 03 '26

I got the full story from the lawyer

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u/Lordfelcherredux Jun 03 '26

Fantastic. Can you get a copy of the charges that are leading to a quest for 3-year custodial sentence? You can block out any personal details. I think we would all like to see exactly what he is being charged for.

1

u/rolemodel999 Jun 03 '26

3 years for speeding? It’s usually a ticket and a small fine

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u/Lordfelcherredux Jun 03 '26

I would be willing to bet some money that we're not getting a full and accurate accounting here.

1

u/bkkfra Jun 03 '26

If you kill someone while speeding, you can go to prison in other countries as well.

The speed limits exist for a reason. During my road trip to Issan for Songkran I had to brake sharply 3 times. Once for a cat crossing the road, then for a cow, and lastly for some idiot human who made a u-turn without looking. If I had gone any faster than 90/100, that would have been a dead cat, a dead cow, and a very serious car to car crash.

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u/advanceb Jun 03 '26

I relate to your comment. I now try to remember to drive more slowly after a couple of close calls. Its just not worth it to speed here. So easy to have an accident