Senior policeman and wife die in smash with “drunk, argumentative and babbling” factory owner

A wealthy businessman who is the owner of a famous auto parts factory is in the cells after he drove his Mercedes Benz and collided with a Suzuki Swift on the outskirts of Bangkok.

Thai Rath reported that Somchai Werotphiphat, 57, was blind drunk and incoherent and arguing with arresting officers as back-up had to be called to control him. 

The destroyed Suzuki had mounted the railings of a bridge over a klong in Thawee Wattana district. It happened in an area known as Soi Ngam Thammachart.

Dead in the driver’s seat with head and other injuries was Police Colonel Jatuporn Ngamsuwitchakun a deputy commander at the Crime Suppression Division. 

His 44 year old wife Nuchanat initially survived but was later pronounced dead in hospital following the crash just after midnight this morning. 

Also in the car was their 16 year old daughter Piyapha who is in a grievous condition in hospital.

Further along from the bridge investigators found a Mercedes Benz E 250 with its front smashed and a front wheel completely skewed. 

Somchai Werotphiphat was the driver and he was clearly drunk. He is a senior executive of Thai Carbon and Graphic Co. Ltd an auto parts manufacturer and distributor.

Pol Capt Phitak investigating the incident said that Somchai was drunk and incoherent unable to say what had happened. He was taken to hospital to check for injuries before being charged with DUI and being held in the cells.

Pictures of Somchai smiling inanely at the police station were published by Thai Rath. 

They added that Somchai was the owner of a high-tech factory that was so well regarded that it exported auto parts to the rest of Asia. 

They described him as drunk, incoherent and babbling. On the way to hospital he was arguing so much with police that back-up needed to be called to help restrain him. 

Police were waiting for him to sober up and for the 16 year old daughter of the dead to recover sufficiently so she could be interviewed. CCTV was also being examined to try and determine exactly what had happened. 

Autopsies were ordered for the dead.

Thai Visa / Thai Rath

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