Sasikan: International experts have identified vulnerabilities in Thai forensic evidence, leading to serious questions about its reliability.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Sasikan Wattanachan, a former deputy government spokeswoman, has raised concerns over discrepancies in vehicle speed figures in a high-profile accident case. The court has emphasized that foreign expert test results are crucial, significantly shedding light on issues within Thailand's forensic evidence processes.
The report highlights two conflicting speed figures at the time of the incident. The first, "not more than 80 km/h," came from a central traffic expert with over 30 years of experience, a court-appointed speed expert, and Dr. Saiprasit, who participated in a related test. All three agreed on this result. In contrast, Police Colonel Thanasit Tangchan, a forensic officer, calculated speeds of "177-180 km/h," which were initially used in the prosecution process.
These stark differences prompt questions about the standards of Thai forensic methods. Ms. Sasikarn mentioned that the court engaged Professor Hermann Stefan, an international accident simulation expert, to conduct further investigations. Using physics calculations, simulations, and crash tests, Stefan's findings showed speeds of 76-79 km/h, aligning with the initial Thai experts' data.
The court criticized Pol. Col. Thanasit's speed figures, particularly the 177 km/h calculation, as highly inaccurate and "unreliable and unacceptable." Recent court analysis showing 79.22 km/h further questions the origin of initial figures and the re-examination process's transparency.
Justice policy scholars point out structural problems in Thailand's forensic system, such as reliance on individual opinions, lack of independent review teams, and failure to disclose raw data. These issues undermine public confidence in high-stakes cases.
Ms. Sasikarn noted that this case pressures government agencies to assess whether Thailand can elevate forensic evidence to a verifiable scientific basis, essential to preventing inaccuracies that could erode public trust.