CHIANG MAI — A father has gone public after his 17-year-old son was hit by a Toyota Alphard while stopped at a red light in central Chiang Mai. He says the driver has refused to take responsibility, and the police case has seen little progress, even after nearly two months.
On Wednesday, Mr Phuchong Yangpuan, 38, from Ban Ton Ngiew, San Phak Wan, Hang Dong district, brought CCTV footage, a police daily report, and photos of the vehicle to Thai media. He said his 17-year-old son, a grade 12 student, was struck at about 3.00 am on 16 August. The van sped off, and nothing has moved forward since.
CCTV from the airport junction shows the student riding in from Hang Dong towards the city. He stopped at the red light, with another car halted alongside. A Toyota Alphard then came from behind at speed and slammed into the back of the motorbike.
The rider was thrown off, and the bike was dragged past the stop line. The teenager managed to get himself off the road. The van driver walked over, looked around, and then checked the front of his vehicle.
Mr Phuchong said no one called 191 at the scene. He only learned about the crash the next day because his son was scared to tell him. He took him to the hospital, where the treatment cost more than ten thousand baht. He has not received any compensation.
What upset him most was the driver scolding the boy for not moving off, saying the crash would not have happened if he had gone. He did not help, then left. Other motorists who had stopped at the lights came to assist.
The father said he had to track down camera footage and the number plate by himself, which is why he turned to the press.
He added that nearly two months have passed. When he phoned the investigating officer, he was told off for calling too often. He then stopped contacting them because he did not know how to deal with the situation. The first mediation produced nothing.
During that meeting, someone phoned claiming to be a relative of the other party and a legal adviser. Mr Phuchong asked them to meet at the police station to talk in person. They did not come. They said the driver was only an employee, that sacking him would be enough, and told the father to sue by himself.
He criticized the other party for lacking basic decency. They did not stop at a red light, hit a schoolboy, then fled. He noted that the van is a high-end Alphard worth several million baht, yet there has been no sign of responsibility.
The driver claimed he was only hired to drive for his boss. When asked which company, he said he did not know and kept repeating that he did not know.
Mr Phuchong now wants the other party to pay for the total loss of the motorbike, school materials, medical bills, and general damages. He is asking for a clear response and a fair settlement.
