Police deny stalling on 'Boss' extradition

Police chief Pol Gen Chakthip Chaijinda and Vorayuth 'Boss' Yoovidhya (inset): No reason to delay extradition request, but there is a lot of paperwork. (Post Today photo)

National police chief Chakthip Chaijinda denied Thursday that his officers were "dragging their feet" in bringing fugitive Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhya to justice after a delay in issuing documents in English seeking the Red Bull scion's extradition.

Pol Gen Chakthip insisted Thursday that police were doing their best to pursue the hit-and-run case against Mr Vorayuth, adding the translation of the extradition request is complete.

He made his comment after the Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) last week sent the extradition request to the Royal Thai Police (RTP) Foreign Affairs division for its approval.

These are the final steps required before police can forward the request to the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), he said.

Pol Gen Chakthip said he instructed the division to expedite its examination of the request and also ordered officers to step up their efforts to locate the suspect's whereabouts.

The extradition request will later be forwarded to the OAG in a bid to have Mr Vorayuth stand trial in Thailand.

Pol Gen Chakthip asserted there was no reason for the RTP to buy time for Mr Vorayuth as it wanted to bring him to justice. However, he admitted the previous delay in translating the extradition request resulted from misunderstandings between the MPB and the division.

On Sep 3, 2013, Mr Vorayuth, known for his lavish lifestyle, crashed his Ferrari into the rear of a motorcycle, killing its rider Pol Snr Sgt Maj Wichian Klanprasert, a Thong Lor traffic officer.

The suspect faced a total of four charges but has already escaped two -- speeding and reckless driving causing damage to other's property -- because their one-year statute of limitations meant those charges expired in Sept 2013.

His frequent trips abroad and claims of illness have been blamed for the delays in the case.