THE ATTORNEY GENERAL said today (Aug. 2) that the statute of limitations on cocaine use charge against Red Bull heir Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, who is wanted in a hit-and-run incident that led to a policeman’s death in Bangkok on September 3, 2012, has expires, Amarin TV said.
The lawsuit would now be solely on the charge of reckless driving leading to death but the statute of limitations on this too is expiring in September 2027.
Mr. Prayut Petchkunm, the office’s deputy director-general and deputy spokesman, said the repeal of the Narcotics Act of 1979 on Dec. 9, 2021 led to the automatic expiry of the cocaine charge against him.
Earlier the prosecutors had set up a new criminal investigation team headed by Mr. Itthiphon Kaewthip, the director-general of the Public Prosecutors Criminal Office, with himself as the secretary.
The working group filed additional cocaine use charges against Vorayuth with the court later issuing an arrest warrant on this count too.
The statute of limitation had been 10 years according to the Section 58 of the Narcotics Act of 1979 that states that no one is allowed to use cocaine (a category 2 drug) with violators facing penalty under Section 91, that is imprisonment from six months to three year.
As the arrest warrant was issued on September 3, 2012, it would have expired on September 3 this year.
However with the complete repeal of this act and issuing of a new code five types of narcotics were placed under Section 104. Type two, that is cocaine, now entails not more than one year imprisonment under Section 162. This led to the statute of limitation on this count being reduced from 10 to five years and this has automatically expired.
At present Vorayuth has only one charge against him left, reckless driving causing the death of others. This is an offence under Section 291 of the Penal Code, entailing not more than 10 years imprisonment. The statute of limitation on this count is 15 years and ends on September 3, 2027.
CAPTIONS:
Top: Vorayuth “Boss” Yoovidhya, left, and the Ferrari he was driving the morning of the hit-and-run incident. Photo: Naewna
Front Page: Vorayuth, right, and Pol. Col. Krisana Pattanacharoen, deputy police spokesman, left. Photo: Thai Rath
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