Red Bull family pays less than $123K to dead officer's family

BANGKOK (AP) - Thai police say the billionaire family of the Red Bull energy drink heir accused of killing a police officer in a hit-and-run has struck a deal that will pay the officer's siblings less than US$100,000 (S$123,000).

Vorayuth Yoovidhya is charged with driving the Ferrari that struck the officer and dragged his body down a Bangkok street earlier this month.

A police spokesman says the family has paid the officer's siblings 3 million baht (S$123,000). He said on Wednesday the settlement will protect Vorayuth from a civil lawsuit.

The payment is being viewed by many as a pittance for a family worth US$5.4 billion. It will likely do little to quell public outrage over the incident and an initial attempt to cover up Vorayuth's alleged involvement by arresting a bogus suspect.