Chiang Rai Doctor Pays 250k Baht Deposit After Fatal Crash, Settlement Talks Stall

CHIANG RAI – Police hosted a highly emotional mediation session on September 15 following a fatal crash. A local doctor, who drove his car into a motorcycle, met with the victims’ families. The devastating crash at the Nang Lae intersection killed two first-year female university students and severely injured another student from Mae Fah Luang University. The driver, identified as Dr. Kamol, faced the grieving parents at the Ban Du Police Station. He handed over 250,000 baht as a preliminary payment to assist the affected families. However, this early financial support absolutely does not settle the final legal compensation claims. Both sides must still negotiate to reach a full agreement on the total civil damages. Police investigators joined the challenging meeting to act as neutral mediators for both parties. The small meeting room was heavily filled with deep sadness and obvious emotional tension. Dr. Kamol tried to hand a traditional floral garland to the families as a formal apology. Relatives of the injured student accepted it, but the parents of the deceased completely refused. The two opposing sides currently remain very far apart on the final settlement amount. The doctor’s team initially suggested a total payout in the hundreds of thousands of baht. Meanwhile, the victims’ lawyer, Bandit Singhabut, clearly stated the families expect a figure in the millions. He noted they are keeping the exact number private to avoid cheapening a human life. The 250,000 baht provided by the doctor serves strictly as a very early starting point. The devastated families agreed to accept this specific cash offer to handle their immediate funeral costs. Everyone firmly understands this single amount is meant to be divided among all three families. It is certainly not the final financial payout for such an immense, tragic loss. Dr. Kamol briefly spoke with reporters and expressed his deep sorrow over the event. He openly stated that the loss of human life can never be accurately measured by money. The doctor is currently trying to gather more personal funds to properly help the families. He also announced his intention to briefly ordain as a monk to honor the victims. If the two sides cannot agree on money, a civil court will eventually handle the damages. Meanwhile, the ongoing criminal investigation moves forward based strictly on the available physical evidence. Police officially found no alcohol in the doctor’s system after a standard breath test. However, investigating officers are closely reviewing CCTV footage to build the case. The doctor currently faces very serious legal charges for reckless driving causing death and injury. Paying apology money to the grieving families does not erase the pending criminal charges. The Thai criminal justice system will continue to independently process this high-profile case. Both the victims’ families and the local community now anxiously await the final legal outcome.