Pattaya Hit & Run Jetski Rider Surrenders over Iranians Death

Published : October 14, 2010 :: 12:10:10 [ 3,664 views ]

The man wanted by authorities over the death of an Iranian national in the Pattaya Bay last week has surrendered to police on Wednesday, claiming he had no knowledge of the accident until witnessing the reports on television.

Pattaya, the 13^th of October 2010 [PDN]: Following the death of Mr. Mohsen Fakhari [35], an Iranian national who was struck on the head by a jetski while swimming in the Pattaya Bay last week, Pattaya police successfully impounded the offending blue-white jetski named ‘Khattiya.’

Investigating with the owner of the vehicle, officers were able to attain a warrant from the Pattaya District Court for the arrest of Mr. Narong Meejaeng [23], the alleged rider of the jetski at the time of Mr. Fakhari’s death.

Before authorities could instigate the arrest warrant, Mr. Meejaeng appeared before Lieutenant Colonel Tarathep Toopanich (Pattaya Police Deputy Superintendent) on Wednesday evening having returned from his hometown in Phitsanulok, central-northern Thailand.

Mr. Meejaeng explained that he was a speedboat driver in Pattaya and was currently on a one-month holiday during the low season. On the evening of the incident in which Mr. Fakhari was killed, he admitted to being the rider of the confiscated jetski, which he says belonged to a friend.

According to a police statement, Mr. Meejaeng alleges that he had taken the jetski for a ride from around the Soi 11 area of Pattaya Beach, where he and a group of friends had been drinking alcohol. Regarding the death of Mr. Fakhari, he stated that he had collided with a coconut floating on the water while he was riding on the jetski, but did not realise that it had actually been the head of a swimmer.

Mr. Meejaeng explained that he had heard of a warrant for his arrest while watching the national news on television in his home province of Phitsanulok, before returning to Pattaya in order to surrender to police.

Lt. Col. Toopanich revealed that the offender has subsequently been granted bail, having paid Bt100,000 insurance, under the conditions that he report for further questioning over the incident when required.

Comments

mark

said :

if anyone is wondering what fine or punishment the driver will face, its already been concluded.. 100,000 baht... they call it insurance, however, it is in fact the amount of money paid to stay out of jail. Not to be confussed with bail...the driver will pay no further fines or serve any time.. and that my friends, is the way it goes

Email : markreyn59@hotmail.com Date : 2010-10-25 11:09:35

Sam, the Persian

said :

First of I'm deeply sorry about this tragic incident that killed one of my fellow compatriots who had gone to Pattaya to spend a lovely and memorable
holiday and escape the boring and sometimes even miserable life in Tehran for a while. But now his dead body is to be sent back home.I just hope that the victim, Mr. Mohsen Fakhari hasn't been swimming in the wrong place.
I spent a 10-day SOLO holiday in Pattaya a month prior to this unfortunate accident and I didn't
see any robbery, assault, shooting, murder, etc., nothing but safety, warm and welcoming locals and lovely places (maybe I was lucky!). I was truly
shocked when I became aware of this fatal incident.
Pattaya police must investigate this case and bring the offender to the justice.
Foreign tourist are charged with heavy fines if they damage a jet ski (and ironically if they haven't damaged the jet ski AT ALL they still have to pay
such insane fines!!!). Now that a human being has been actually KILLED by a jet ski, let's see what they do to the killer.
If the local Justice Administration doesn't issue an "impartial" verdict, this issue would definitely overshadow reputation of Thailand's tourism industry; an industry which Thai government and people rely on.

Email : amir.1989@att.net Date : 2010-10-19 22:36:29

b hankins

said :

He thought he hit a coconut that's why he abandoned the jetski instead of returning it and fled the city. And after already proving he's a flight risk they grant him bail instead of locking him up until trial. Probably waiting till the Indian family witnesses leave the country and go back home. Someone's been paid off again.

Email : bhankis345@aol.com Date : 2010-10-16 16:45:51

Chris Nui

said :

'All jetski owners are wealthy Thais.' Such bullshit. I know a few of them and none of them is rich. They borrow a lot of money (upto 2 million) to start and lease the skis to other sub operators.

Email : chris@bang.net Date : 2010-10-15 13:51:36

Julie

said :

This was NOT 'clearly' an accident!
The jetskis are owned by wealthy Thais and their connection to the police for choice spots on the beach. There should be instructions read to all that use them, to stay out in the gulf far away from swimmers. The farangs always stay far out at full trottle but the Thais do not. If you have been here for awhile you would know that. Only the Major hotels in front have string floats setup. There should be instead narrow egress and entrance for the jetskis not the other way around.

Never rent a jetski in pattaya,
You will get screwed! The guilty is a jetski employee, that is why he will walk. They will cover that up.

Email : julie@everbored.org Date : 2010-10-15 13:21:01

hem

said :

realy that is not good for client if pattaya police take stickly then that happend will finsih , every day on the beach and lot of thai-indian men say ok thye can make final deal and make money from toursit too much if the jets key dont have insrunce whay the police allowed to drive jetskey withour insrunce

Email : hemsingh54@hotmail.com Date : 2010-10-15 11:41:08

Anne Axedennt

said :

It was clearly an accident - I doubt anyone would hit a swimmer on purpose, alcohol or not, and if the Iranian was floating on his back, only his head would have been hit.

If you are out there in the bay and outside of the roped off swim area, you take your own chances as it is very obvious to everyone that jetskis and power boats run full power along the shoreline.

It's too bad there'll be people looking to milk money out of the hapless rider for what looks like an accident.

Email : extortbahts@poorman.th Date : 2010-10-15 05:00:40

Chris Nui

said :

I can't really see the fuss of this case. There are dozens of read accidents per month were people are killed. The usual way is to compensate the family and that's it. Don't see the difference between a road accident and one on the water nor do I see negligence at the side if the ski operator.

Email : chris@bang.net Date : 2010-10-14 21:27:37

PorkyPig

said :

Love the photo pose of the BIB...always a classic

Email : pp@bib.com Date : 2010-10-14 18:52:27

Breaker

said :

"he stated that he had collided with a coconut floating on the water while he was riding on the jetski, but did not realize that it had actually been the head of a swimmer."

Good one, Monkey, coconuts frequently cry out when hit. A coward AND and liar. Typical Soi dog

Email : g-unit@gmail.com Date : 2010-10-14 18:33:04

JimmyG

said :

I hired a jet ski once on Pattaya Beach Road and hit some debris in the water like wood or something and damaged the blades and had to pay the jet ski owner a total of 36,500 baht which left a foul taste in my mouth and I have never hired one since.

Email : jimmy@gmail.com Date : 2010-10-14 17:59:23

jester

said :

Someone has been killed and it is making us all so depressed, let us take this opportunity to remind ourselves of a joke my father once told me about the Fakhari tribe, all very small individuals who were known for their travels through tall grass, jumping every time they tried to find the right direction to go, and as they jumped shouted 'Fakhari, where the fakhari?'

Email : lister@scene.cnn Date : 2010-10-14 17:32:02

Julie

said :

Of course he walks Paul. He's a Thai. Imagine if a farang hit a Thai? His life would be ruined, Photo and passport blasted over the internet 2nd degree murder and a hefty multi-million fine. They would suck him for all he's worth.
The crooks!

Some farangs think this is Paradise? Get real and get out before it's too late and leave it for the desperate sex addicts.
Not enjoyable here anymore.

Email : julie@everbored.org Date : 2010-10-14 17:28:35

Paul England

said :

Give it a week or two for the press attention to calm down, then as Michael.bkk says, small contribution to the BIB tea fund and he walks.

Even if the case is taken to court, it will drag on for a couple of years, a derisory fine, a small contribution to the BIB/judges tea fund, and he walks.

Email : ingop67@gmail.com Date : 2010-10-14 15:54:27

michael.bkk

said :

Extract of the Thai law:

Punishment for recklessness causing death killing a....

1. wealthy Thai: Life imprisonment
2. ordinary Thai: Pay off family of the deceased and BIBs and go home
3. Soi dog: pay off the owner and go home
.....
.....
....
99. farang: stay a day or two in prison to ease foreign media attention, pay off BIBs and go home
100. Arab, Indian, Cambodians: pay off police and go home

Email : michael@bkk.com Date : 2010-10-14 15:09:08

Bob

said :

After discovering that the man was iranian i was to harsh in my previous post.2o thousand baht bail would of been more appropriate.

Email : bob@toobad.com Date : 2010-10-14 14:35:21

Bob

said :

The retarded monkey killed someone while riding a jet ski in a reckless manner after drinking (by his own admission). Granting him bail for such a small amount of money is an insult to the deceased and every other foreigner.

Email : bob@toobad.com Date : 2010-10-14 12:51:26

Blade

said :

"where he and a group of friends had been drinking alcohol"

ruh-roh, Scoobey Skier, sshhh, you're not supposed to tell them that part!

Email : blade@hotmail.com Date : 2010-10-14 12:47:31

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