Interpol issues arrest warrant against Red Bull heir

Interpol issued an international arrest warrant on Tuesday against Red Bull's Thai heir, who is accused of having fatally run over a policeman in 2012 when he was driving a Ferrari in Bangkok.

Vorayuth Yoovidhya, 35, has been included on the list of fugitives wanted with a Red Notice, which refers to a request to arrest him in order to extradite him to Thailand and face charges, Efe news agency reported.

The heir is accused of having run over police sergeant Wichean Klinprasert, 47, early in the morning on September 3, 2012. The police official was on motorbike patrol and died in the incident.

Vorayuth, grandson of Red Bull's co-founder Chaleo Yoovidhya, was driving at 200 kilometres per hour and paid three million Baht ($86,755) to the victim's family as compensation, reports said.

Since the date of the accident, charges for speeding and reckless driving leading to material damages have expired and hence Vorayuth cannot be accused of them.

However, he can still be accused of reckless driving leading to death, a charge which expires in 2027.

Vorayuth has failed to respond to prosecutors since then, while Thai authorities have been criticised for allegedly being lax due to Vorayuth's family fortune.

In April, a Thai court issued the first arrest order against Vorayuth, whose current whereabouts remain unknown.

--IANS

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