Army chief insists soldier fighting for his life not a victim of discipline

[webfact]

Army chief insists soldier fighting for his life not a victim of discipline

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

Army chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart has insisted that a 22-year-old infantry private who is struggling to survive went into cardiac arrest during a fistfight with another soldier, not while being disciplined.

 

Private Khacha Chapa of the 31st Infantry Regiment (King’s Guard) stationed in Lop Buri was hospitalised on Tuesday night and diagnosed with “acute cardiac arrest” stemming from “an unknown cause”.

 

Chalermchai said Army recruits were no longer beaten as a form of punishment, but the matter would be investigated and anyone found to be at fault would face both disciplinary and criminal action.

 

An aunt of Khacha, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the family would seek Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s help in getting to the truth.

 

She said an unnamed lieutenant colonel at the Army camp told Khacha’s father by phone that three soldiers had beaten Khacha for an alleged breach of discipline and were already in military detention cells awaiting punishment.

 

He said the Army would cover Khacha’s medical costs but asked that the matter be kept out of the news, the aunt said.

 

Khacha’s heart stopped a second time at 2am on Wednesday, she said, and he was now on a respirator in intensive care.

 

Doctors have given him a 30 per cent chance of surviving but said that, even if he regained consciousness, he would have suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation.

 

Khacha’s aunt took photos of bruises on his chest and midsection when she first visited him along with his mother and wife, but claimed that soldiers had since been assigned to “stand guard” and were preventing any further photography.

 

Khacha was conscripted in May 2017, had never before been subjected to violence and was in good health, the aunt said.

 

She recalled a senior private making a video-call to him while he was visiting home on leave last month and demanding he return to base immediately.

 

Khacha refused and was ordered him to do push-ups as punishment on the spot, in the midst of a family meal.

 

“I’ve heard about soldiers being beaten but I never thought it would happen to my family,” the aunt said. “I hope the justice takes its course and these heavy-handed wrongdoers are punished.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30352781

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-23

[TVGerry]

Of course he wasn't a victim of 'discipline'. The word you want is 'hazing'.

[bluesofa]

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Army chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart has insisted he has been instructed to say that a 22-year-old infantry private who is struggling to survive went into cardiac arrest during a fistfight with another soldier, not while being disciplined.

Misprint above corrected.

 

[darksidedog]

12 minutes ago, webfact said:

Chalermchai said Army recruits were no longer beaten as a form of punishment

Is anyone actually supposed to believe that? The whole army overnight stopped the practice? He will have to come up with better lies than that I think.

[SABloke]

Of course the army chief can be trusted. ?

 

And then there's this part that is more pathetic than anything else, really...

13 minutes ago, webfact said:

An aunt of Khacha, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the family would seek Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha’s help in getting to the truth.

She's drunk the kool-aid and actually believes Prayuth gives a damn.

[colinneil]

 

An aunt speaking upon the condition of anonymity said the family would seek the help of the PM

Well that would be a complete waste of time, he could not tell the truth even if his life depended on it.

 

[JAG]

11 minutes ago, TVGerry said:

Of course he wasn't a victim of 'discipline'. The word you want is 'hazing'.

Character building stuff?

 

Bastards.

[z42]

Actually ridiculous. The unnamed sources do appear to have vastly more credibility (read integrity) than the highest ranking soldier in the land.

Some of the whoppers dropped in this brief story alone are incredible. What a horrendous outfit. 

[ThreeEyedRaven]

39 minutes ago, webfact said:

She said an unnamed lieutenant colonel at the Army camp told Khacha’s father by phone that three soldiers had beaten Khacha for an alleged breach of discipline and were already in military detention cells awaiting punishment.

Well I believe that a damn sight more than the absolute pile of crap the General came out with. We get denials of it every time, and each time those denials turn out to be completely untrue. One day these brainless idiots will work out that it is better to admit what happened and be transparent in the subsequent inquiry and punishments, rather than be seen to be a complete liar. No wonder so many do everything they can not to be conscripted.

[Oziex1]

 I would really like to see how the careers of these brutes progress, I would bet anything they will end up at the top. Probably future coup leaders.

[Dave67]

Standard Army drill, make them fight each other. The Para's call it milling

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, Dave67 said:

Standard Army drill, make them fight each other. The Para's call it milling

One to one yes.

[cmsally]

Quote

were no longer beaten as a form of punishment

... so basically admitting that they have done this in the past.

[Eric Loh]

A discipline army will set up a committee to investigate the death and court martial the culprits. But then again the RTA is never discipline and lead by poor leaders. 

[Rhys]

... the new form of training of discipline for a southern university...???  Students and military DI instilling discipline

[sammieuk1]

The aunt hopes justice will course she needs to brace for bad news on the justice front for sure?

[Lupatria]

A more plausible explanation would have been:

He fell 6 times of the chair while trying to achieve his parachuter wings. 

[greenchair]

AGAIN ??

Shame, shame shame. 

[Artisi]

"An aunt speaking upon the condition of anonymity said the family would seek the help of the PM "

 

save your breath aunty and the families time  - the pm doesn't give a rats-arse about anything that doesn't benefit him or his mates.

 

 

 

[Artisi]

18 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

A more plausible explanation would have been:

He fell 6 times of the chair while trying to achieve his parachuter wings. 

funny if it wasn't such a serious act.

[Artisi]

Do you ever wonder why some people take the law into their own hands at times, especially in cases like this - mafia style pay-back comes to mind.

[crazykopite]

The PM is an Army General !

[Media1]

Primitives 

[saminoz]

"not a victim of discipline".

Absolutely correct.

Almost certainly a victim of the Army's indiscipline!

[Small Joke]

So no broad and sweeping changes after the last cadet was shipped home minus his gizzards then? 

No wonder they need the draft!

Poor gormless kids, the enemy not only walks among them, it is in command. 

 

 

 

  

[300sd]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Army chief insists soldier fighting for his life not a victim of discipline

Wouldn't want him for a politician! (Please read between the line)

Absolutely disgusting.

[JAG]

4 hours ago, Dave67 said:

Standard Army drill, make them fight each other. The Para's call it milling

Nothing like it. Milling is part of Parachute Regiment training in the British Army. It is two matched individuals, wearing boxing gloves, going against each other for a set period (1 minute I believe).Under controlled supervised circumstances. I believe the idea is to assess a recruits ability to project agression.

 

This was a lad being beaten nearly to death.

 

Nothing like it.

[webfact]

Army insists private injured in fight, not in disciplinary action

By JITRAPORN SENWONG 
THE NATION 

 

 

3 officers detained for beating soldier; doctors give him 30% chance of survival
 

THE 22-YEAR-OLD infantry private now struggling to survive in a hospital’s intensive care unit sustained injuries in a fight with other soldiers, not from being officially disciplined, senior military officers said yesterday.

 

The commander of the 31st Infantry Regiment (King’s Guard) in Lop Buri province admitted that he had failed to properly supervise his subordinates, resulting in a “three to one” fight that landed Private Khacha Chapa in the ICU earlier this week.

 

The three unnamed Army privates have reportedly confessed to attacking Khacha after an argument and have been taken into custody, commander Lt-Colonel Monchai Yimyoo said. The trio and their supervisor at the time have already been disciplined, he said. 

 

Monchai said the wounded private’s family had filed a complaint with Muang Lop Buri Police Station for assault charges against the three soldiers and the case was ongoing. 

 

“I confirm that there is no attempt to cover up for the subordinates’ wrongdoing, and we will adhere to the law,” Monchai said, adding that Khacha’s family had thanked the regiment for taking good care of him. 

 

“I, as regiment commander, also have to own up to my part in failing to properly supervise the subordinates, resulting in what happened,” he said.

 

Monchai’s comments are in line with an earlier response from Army chief General Chalermchai Sitthisart, who insisted that Khacha had not been injured while being disciplined. Chalermchai said Army recruits were no longer beaten as a form of punishment, but the matter would be investigated and anyone found to be at fault would face both disciplinary and criminal action. 

 

The Army officers who took Khacha to hospital on Tuesday claimed he had suffered an “acute cardiac arrest” stemming from “an unknown cause”. 

 

Khacha’s aunt, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the family would seek PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s help in getting to the truth. 

 

She said an unnamed lieutenant colonel at the Army camp had told Khacha’s father by phone that three soldiers had beaten Khacha for an alleged breach of discipline and were already in military detention cells awaiting punishment. The aunt quoted the officer as saying that the Army would cover Khacha’s medical costs, but asked that the matter be kept out of the news. 

 

Khacha’s heart stopped for a second time at 2am on Wednesday, she said, and he was now on a respirator in intensive care. Doctors have given him a 30-per-cent chance of survival, and say that even if he does regain consciousness, he will have suffered brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. 

 

Khacha’s aunt took photographs of the patient when she first visited him with his mother and pregnant wife, but claimed that soldiers have since been assigned to “stand guard” and are no longer allowing any photographs to be taken. She also claimed that Khacha’s mother had seen the bruises on his chest and midsection. Father of a toddler and soon-to-be born child, Khacha was in good health when conscripted in May 2017, his aunt said. 

 

She recalled a senior private making a video-call to Khacha while he was at home on leave last month and demanding that he return to base immediately. Khacha refused and was ordered to do push-ups as punishment, in the midst of a family meal. 

 

“I’ve heard about soldiers being beaten, but I never thought it would happen to my family,” the aunt said. “I hope justice takes its course and these wrongdoers are punished.” 

 

 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30352832

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-08-24

[Get Real]

With as many problems as described above, it would be time to look in to this matter.

[Samui Bodoh]

"...The commander of the 31st Infantry Regiment (King’s Guard) in Lop Buri province admitted that he had failed to properly supervise his subordinates..."

 

Out of curiosity, what discipline will he face for his negligence? Doesn't the Commander have responsibility for the actions of his subordinates? It seems the Thai army has an odd system whereby the higher you rise in rank, the fewer real responsibilities you have... weird.

 

"...resulting in a “three to one” fight that landed Private Khacha Chapa in the ICU earlier this week..."

 

A 'three to one' fight? Forgive my naivete, but I have always read that the single most important characteristic of a good soldier was honour. How is it honourable to have a 'three to one' fight?

 

The Thai army moves in mysterious ways... it is almost like they aren't designed to defend their homeland at all...

 

Hmm...