Supreme Court upholds 2-year jail term for KKU bus driver

MGR Online•Society•3d ago

Reader Briefing

The Supreme Court of Thailand has sentenced a Khon Kaen University bus driver to two years in prison without suspension for a fatal accident involving a medical student.

•The Supreme Court upheld a 2-year prison sentence for a Faculty of Nursing bus driver at Khon Kaen University.
•The accident occurred 4 years ago at Khon Kaen University, resulting in the death of Arunnapha Wattanapanich, a second-year medical student.
•The Court of Appeal ordered Khon Kaen University to pay 18 million baht in damages to the victim's parents.
•The final ruling was read on August 6, 2026, at the Khon Kaen Provincial Court.

Overview

•On August 11, 2022, a bus from the Faculty of Nursing at Khon Kaen University collided with a motorcycle at a junction in front of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
•The accident resulted in the immediate death of Arunnapha Wattanapanich, a second-year medical student at Khon Kaen University.
•The Supreme Court upheld the lower courts' decision to sentence the bus driver to 4 years in prison, reduced to 2 years due to a confession, without suspension of sentence.
•The Supreme Court ruled that the loss was severe and occurred within an educational institution which should be the safest area for students.
•Nittaya Rungsathit, the mother of Arunnapha Wattanapanich, stated she accepts the court's decision and granted forgiveness to the bus driver.
•In the civil case, the Court of Appeal ordered Khon Kaen University to pay approximately 9 million baht each to the parents of the deceased, totaling 18 million baht.
•Khon Kaen University is currently seeking permission from the Supreme Court to appeal the civil ruling.

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Key Quotes

Nittaya Rungsathit

"Even though Nong Eye no longer has the chance to become a doctor to treat people as intended, if this loss serves as a warning for people to fear accidents and not drive recklessly, it is considered the greatest benefit."

แม้น้องอายจะไม่มีโอกาสได้เป็นหมอรักษาคนตามที่ตั้งใจไว้แล้ว แต่หากการสูญเสียครั้งนี้ช่วยกระตุกเตือนใจให้คนเกิดความกลัวอุบัติเหตุ ไม่ขับรถประมาท และลดการบาดเจ็บเสียชีวิตในสังคมได้ ก็ถือว่าเกิดประโยชน์สูงสุด

Key Entities

Person

Arunnapha Wattanapanich(อรุณนภา วัฒนพานิช)

A second-year medical student at Khon Kaen University who died in a bus accident.

Nittaya Rungsathit(นิตยา รุ่งสถิต)

The mother of Arunnapha Wattanapanich.

Rujiwat Sirawongwichan(รุจิวัฒน์ ศิรวงษ์วิชาญ)

The lawyer for the plaintiff side.

Organization

Khon Kaen University(มหาวิทยาลัยขอนแก่น)ℹ️

The educational institution where the accident occurred and the defendant in the civil case.

Supreme Court(ศาลฎีกา)ℹ️

The court that issued the final ruling on the criminal case.

Regional Court of Appeal 4(ศาลอุทธรณ์ภาค 4)

The court that previously upheld the prison sentence for the bus driver.

Muang Khon Kaen Police Station(สภ.เมืองขอนแก่น)

The police station whose investigators gathered evidence for the case.

Place

Khon Kaen Provincial Court(ศาลจังหวัดขอนแก่น)

The location where the Supreme Court ruling was read on August 6, 2026.