A fired official of the Department of Special Investigation claimed to be a former DSI chief while helping an influential Bentley driver who caused a major expressway crash on Jan 8, according to the real DSI chief.
DSI director-general Triyarith Temahivong said on Tuesday that his department learned from witnesses' accounts that a man who tried to help the Bentley driver avoid repercussions was actually a former general administration official of the DSI who had been sacked many years ago.
The man had nothing to do with any special investigation at the DSI and had been expelled from the department in 2014 for extortion, Mr Triyarith said. A complaint would be filed with police, he said.
The mystery man appeared with a woman and an assistant, emerging from a black Mercedes-Benz at Expressway Police Station 1 on Jan 8 soon after the three-vehicle collision. He claimed to be a former DSI director-general and friend of the Bentley driver, whom he took from the police station to Police General Hospital for a blood alcohol/drugs test.
It was reported that the 53-year-old Bentley driver, Suthat Siwapiromrat, refused to take a breathalyser test at the scene of the crash, claiming he had chest pains caused by the airbag inflating.
Mr Suthat is a director of several companies and a well-known political donor. He is a brother of New Economics Party leader Manoon Siwapiromrat.
The multiple collision happened on the Chaloem Maha Nakhon expressway about 1am on Jan 8. The Bentley driven by Mr Suthat crashed into the back of a brand-new Mitsubishi Pajero in the middle lane. The impact caused the Pajero to overturn before it was struck by an oncoming firetruck.
All six people in the Pajero, one a 4-year-old, were injured, along with two firefighters.
Last Friday police said a blood test at Police General Hospital found narcotic substances in Mr Suthat's system.
