Victim's mum doubts Saksit was behind the wheel

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Victim's mum doubts Saksit was behind the wheel
Published: 23/06/2011 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News  

The mother of a doctor injured by an alleged hit-and-run driver says she doubts the man who says he was driving the car really was behind the wheel.

Retired physician Pannakorn Imwitthaya, the mother of victim Dr Hathaiporn, 35, who was seriously injured in the incident on June 11, insisted Wednesday that she had seen the driver who left her daughter in a coma.

She said the driver of the vehicle involved was "likely not" Col Saksit Phuklan, the chief suspect who turned himself in to police on Tuesday.

Col Saksit said he was behind the wheel of the car, but denied driving the vehicle into the doctor.

Her mother's comments are fuelling speculation that Col Saksit may have been put up to take the rap for the attack, to disguise the identity of the real culprit.

Dr Pannakorn said police presented her with a photo of Col Saksit and asked her if he was the driver of the car in question and she told police he was "likely not".

"I can still remember his face. I have already given Phaya Thai police my testimony, including the suspected driver's details," Dr Pannakorn said.

"But I can't go into more details about him because I am afraid that it may affect the ongoing investigation."

Col Saksit, the director of the administrative office of the Royal Thai Armed Forces' Comptroller General Department, met Phaya Thai police after media reports emerged about the alleged hit-and-run incident.

Dr Hathaiporn, also known as Mor Muk, was hit by a Nissan car outside her home on Set Siri Road in Phaya Thai district on June 11.

"I don't believe his [Col Saksit's] statement. Had she really jumped on to his car as he alleged, he should have stopped his car," said Dr Pannakorn.

Col Saksit claimed that Dr Hathaiporn had jumped up on to his car as he drove away after a quarrel over parking in front of her house and clinic.

"But what I saw was that the driver drove his car at full speed and hit my daughter," the mother said.

Dr Hathaiporn is being treated for a brain injuries at Phra Mongkutklao Hospital, where she works as a doctor.

Dr Peerapol Pokpong, from the hospital, said Mor Muk was able to respond to her mother's voice, and the swelling on her brain was reducing.

"She's recovering so quickly. We need more than one month to check and evaluate her brain damage.

"Sometimes, she can breathe without a life supporting machine, which is a good sign," he said.

A representative from Her Majesty the Queen yesterday gave a bouquet of flowers to Dr Hathaiporn at the hospital yesterday.

Meanwhile, a retired general has denied that his son, implicated on internet forums as the possible driver, was behind the wheel.

Gen Ampol Tumthong yesterday denied that his son Lt Col Sirisak, a staff officer of Corps 2 under the 1st Army, drove the car which hit Dr Hathaiporn.

Lt Col Sirisak's name has been mentioned in social media outlets.

His father said yesterday that he was a close friend of Dr Hathaiporn's father. Both families were close and Dr Hathaiporn and his son had known each other since childhood.

Gen Ampol said he accompanied Dr Hathaiporn's mother to file a complaint with police about the attack on Dr Hathaiporn.

According to the retired general, his family was framed because he tried to trace the car that hit Dr Hathaiporn.

He realised that the car belonged to the Support Services Department under the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, so asked the department chief about the car. The department chief said that he would neither help nor protect his subordinate.

He said the person who took care of the car tried to frame his son through online posts to deter him from making further inquiries.