NANA BRIDGE MISHAP

[Guest]

NANA BRIDGE MISHAP

 

Family of skull-injury student may sue city

 

B5m compensation sought for negligence

 

Anchalee Kongrut

 

The family of a university student whose skull was broken after a pipe for electric wires fell on him, is seeking five-million-baht compensation from the city.

 

The accident took place on the night of March 2 when Krittiwit Kritpanyavaroj, a 22-year-old engineering student at Srinakarinwirote University, took a boat to Four Seasons Hotel on Ratchadamri road where he worked part-time. A pipe under Nana Bridge fell on his head, breaking his skull and damaging his brain tissue.

 

The student went into a month-long coma and underwent two brain operations to remove blood clots.

 

He has just been transferred from Police Hospital to Navamin Hospital, which is closer to his home. He needs another operation to replace his skull.

 

His mother, Pitsamai, said the accident changed her son's life, affecting him physically and mentally.

 

``He can talk. He can remember everything. But his smile looks like a grimace. He is also like a new person. From being a solemn and serious young man, he is now overly cheerful. He giggles way too much and he repeats himself when he speaks,'' said Mrs Pitsamai. Her son has to take medicine for seizures for another two years.

 

The family, which earns 15,000 baht a month, has paid 60,000 baht in medical bills. Another 250,000 baht for brain surgery was covered by the government's social security fund.

 

The family has been forced to rely on the social security fund because the city has not offered financial help. City Clerk Nathanon Thaveesin delivered a bouquet of flowers two days after the brain operation, but the family has heard nothing since.

 

The family turned down the city's advice that their son be moved to a hospital under its jurisdiction as he was in a coma at that time. Mrs Pitsamai accused the city of negligence.

 

She said the family was prepared to sue, should the city refuse to pay. ``This accident could have happened to anybody. If the pipe had not fallen on my boy, it could have fallen on another,'' she said.

 

The city should have removed the pipe long ago as it was unsafe, she said.

 

Mrs Nathanon, meanwhile, said the city would show its responsibility on humanitarian grounds.

 

She admitted the pipe belonged to a city construction project but said the accident was caused by negligence on the part of a private contractor.

 

BKK Post

[Sukhumvit]

I thought Tort law was unheard of in Thailand.

 

Wonder if the guy's claim for compo is a winner.

[Guest]

I forget the figure, but read yesterday what the Thai Electric Co. made in profits last year. Damn near fell off my chair. 500,000 million baht? Something crazy like that. I guess is going to be privatized very soon. WTF???? Toxin had his hand in this, and insists it go through to completion.

 

Does this mean I will not be able to light my cigarettes off the wires hanging along the stairway's to the BTS stations there? Bummer....I'll have to buy a lighter. ::

 

HT