9-year-old girl drives to school; father charged.
Like many Thai school girls, the nine-year-old native of Surat Thani featured in a viral YouTube video goes to school by car. The only difference is that she drives the car herself. (Not anymore apparently.) The father now faces two criminal charges.
This morning father Yongyuth Mankaprathum was summoned to the Surat Thani traffic centre where he was charged with allowing a person who did not have a license drive his car and for encouraging inappropriate behaviour in a minor and putting theminor in a dangerous situation. He could face a fine as high as 30,000 baht and a possible jail sentence of not more than three months in jail.
9-year-old girl drives to school
Like many Thai school girls, this nine-year-old native of Surat Thani goes to school by car. The only difference is that she drives the car herself on the daily eight-kilometrejourney.
A video of her in action has been posted to YouTube and it has understandably drawnwidespread criticism of her parents.
"This is certainly illegal as she does not have a driving licence, or the maturity, andunlikely to make a proper decision in an emergency," viewer Chanji VinzDayz wrote .
Similarly, Louis Lunthom wondered whether the little girl would have the reactions or decision-making abillity to avoid danger if a diffcult situation suddenly arose.
According to Thairath online, the girl’s father Yongyuth Mankaprathum has admitted that driving at such a young age is illegal and has promised he will not allow her to drive again. He has asked the public not to condemn his family.
He said the girl started driving when she was seven years old. Her longest trip was from Surat Thani to Phuket when she drove a Land Rover without an accident.
Pol Col Suwat Suksri, superintendent of Surat Thani police station, has instructedofficers to order Mr Yongyuth to report in and pay a 2,000 baht fine. There is nopunishment clause for underage drivers, but her parents will be warned, he said.
As for the young girl, she is reportedly upset that her driving days are over for now. She asked why she couldn't continue to drive as she had never caused an accident.