'Mu Ham' sentenced to 10 years in prison

Kanpitak Pachimsawat, son of a former Miss Thailand, was sentenced to 10 years and one month in jail yesterday for ramming his car into a crowd of people at a bus stop 18 months ago, killing one woman and injuring several other people.

Kanpitak Pachimsawat, or Mu Ham, left, accompanied by his father Kan-anek, wais reporters at the provincial court in Phra Khanong district yesterday. Kanpitak was sentenced to 10 years and one month in jail yesterday for ramming his car into a crowd of people at a bus stop 18 months ago, killing one woman and injuring several other people. KOSOL NAKACHO

Kanpitak, 21, better known by his nickname Mu Ham, had been charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder and physical assault in connection with the July 4, 2007 incident.

The defendant, the son of former Miss Thailand Sawinee Pakaranang and businessman Kan-anek Pachimsawat, rammed his car into a crowd waiting at a bus stop in Bangkok's Watthana district on July 4, 2007, killing one woman and injuring at least two other people, following a quarrel with the driver of a bus he was accused of side-swiping with his Mercedes-Benz car.

The Phra Khanong provincial court said the claim made by the family of Kanpitak that he could not control himself as he suffered mental problems carried no weight. The court blamed the parents' upbringing of Kanpitak for contributing to his bad conduct.

The court initially gave him a 15-year jail term for attempted murder and another two months in prison for assaulting others. As he confessed to the charges, the court reduced the sentence by a third to 10 years and one month in jail.

Kanpitak was also ordered to to pay 2.1 million baht to Thongkham Luangsaeng, the mother of the victim Saichon Luangsaeng who died in the incident.

He was also to pay 900,000 baht to two injured victims plus 7.5% interest.

Kanpitak was released on bail pending an appeal after placing a land title deed worth six million baht as surety.Speaking after the court handed down its verdict, Mr Kan-anek said his son felt remorse for his actions.

His family had already spent a huge sum of money to help the victims' families. Such payments had affected the family's finances, Mr Kan-anek said.