The Thai teenager who lost both her legs in a horrific train accident here is back in Singapore as her case against SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) starts on Monday.
16-year-old Nitcharee Peneakchanasak arrived in Singapore on Friday evening accompanied by her father, insurance agent Kittanesh Peneakchanasak, 57, and her elder sister, Thunravee, 22.
Nitcharee’s lower legs were amputated after she fell onto the tracks at Ang Mo Kio MRT station just as a train was pulling in.
The Thai schoolgirl from Trang province had been staying in Singapore with a family friend while attending a month-long English language course at a private school here.
Nitcharee’s family decided to sue transport operator SMRT for $3.4 million once it had been established by doctors here and in Bangkok that she would require about 20 changes of prosthetic legs and expensive medical care for the rest of her life.
The hearing on Monday will mark the start of a trial to determine whether SMRT and LTA were at fault.
The Straits Times reported that Nitcharee will be taking the stand on Monday, along with the investigative officer in charge of the case and several experts.
SMRT’s lawyers from KhattarWong have claimed that Nitcharee fell on the tracks of her own accord.
In response, Nitcharee’s family have told reporters that she had been standing safely behind the yellow lines and that CCTV footage showed that she appeared to have been pushed or shoved by the crowd at the station.
The 15-day trial is scheduled to end on Nov 19, with a total of 12 witnesses expected to take the stand.
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