Waraluck Supawatjariyakul

The Civil Court on Monday ordered a police motorcyclist who ran down and killed a doctor on a zebra crossing in 2022 to pay 27.3 million baht in compensation to her parents.

Motorists who fail to stop for pedestrians at zebra crossings will be fined up to 4,000 baht and have one point deducted immediately from their licence under new traffic laws now being enforced.

As the New Year approaches, the 'Bangkok Post' takes the opportunity to select five crime stories that both captivated and shocked the nation during the past 12 months.

A road safety programme has been launched to promote the use of bicycles as a means of transport in tribute to the ophthalmologist who was run over by a motorcycle at a zebra crossing in Bangkok early this year.

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The tragic death of Dr Waraluck Supawatjariyakul, an ophthalmologist with Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Medicine, who was hit by a powerful big bike as she was negotiating a zebra crossing in January highlights a sad fact about the danger pedestrians face in their everyday lives.

The Criminal Court on Monday sentenced motorcyclist Pol L/Cpl Norawich Buadok, 21, to one year and 15 days in jail for running over and killing Waraluck Supawatjariyakul on a zebra crossing in Bangkok three months ago.

The Criminal Court on Monday sentenced motorcyclist Pol L/Cpl Norawich Buadok, 21, to one year and 15 days in jail without suspension for running over and killing ophthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul on a zebra crossing in Bangkok three months ago.

Preventable deaths, both on land and water, continue to rise in the country. In late January, the nation mourned the untimely death of Dr Waraluck Supawatjariyakul, an ophthalmologist with a promising career. Her life was cut short by a speeding motorcycle at a pedestrian crossing.

When ophthalmologist Waraluck Supawatjariyakul died after being hit by a big bike driven by a police officer on Jan 21, many thought her untimely death would usher in road safety reforms, including improvements in how zebra crossings are managed.