Nine warrants out for killing of conscript in Surat Thani

[webfact]

Nine warrants out for killing of conscript
By THE NATION

 

 

Army vows to stay out of police probe into private’s brutal beating at camp

 

SURAT THANI: -- A MILITARY court has approved arrest warrants for nine soldiers for their alleged role in the fatal attack on a conscript at a military prison in the South. 

 

Private Yuthkinan Boonniam was brutally beaten up while in detention in Vibhavadi Rangsit Military Camp in Surat Thani province. He died on April 1, leaving behind his grieving mother. Suspected attackers yesterday laid prostrate before her, offering sincere apology and begging for her forgiveness. The sobbing mother has agreed to forgive them and now scheduled to cremate her son's body on April 10. 

 

“Ongoing investigation |suggests four to five detainees at the same military prison attacked Yutthakinun because they had a quarrel during their detention,” Maj-General Wichai Tassanamonthien, who heads the 45th Military Circle, told reporters yesterday. 

 

The prison where the attack took place is a part of the 45th military circle. 

 

Wichai said the military would not interfere in the investigation being conducted by police. 

 

He has allowed police investigators to enter the military prison to interrogate the suspects in the case. 

 

The court of the 45th Military Circle yesterday approved arrest warrants for nine of the 10 suspects identified by police.

 

They include both sergeants and privates. 

 

The court decided against issuing a warrant for Sergeant Surachet Prommart as it said he had a permanent address, continued to serve in military services, and had not tampered with evidence in the case. 

 

Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart has already handed over Bt100,000 cash to Yuthkinan’s mother as remedial action. 

 

‘Culture of impunity’

 

Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday called for an independent investigation into Yuthkinan’s death and for a broader campaign to end the longstanding use of corporal punishment in the Armed Forces.

 

“The government and the military should urgently act to end these brutal assaults and the culture of impunity that has meant no punishment for abusive soldiers and the officers ultimately responsible,” HRW said. 

 

HRW said the Thai government is not known to have prosecuted successfully any members of the security forces for torture or other serious abuses against civilians. 

 

In many cases, Thai authorities have provided financial compensation to the victims or their families in exchange for their agreement not to pursue criminal prosecution against abusive officials, HRW said.

 

There have also been many reported instances of military officers retaliating against their accusers by filing criminal defamation lawsuits and alleging that those complainants had violated the Computer-Related Crime Act by disseminating false statements online, HRW added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30311426

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-04-06

[Chip Allen]

We can expect an investigation and the eventual release of these murderers, once the cops have relieved them of enough tea money.

The Royal Thai Army can do no wrong.

[steven100]

so now it's nine ...... 

nothing to do with this guy sleeping in .....  there was an argument between them all.

Maybe it had something to do with this guy being so handsome ....  imo.

maybe some jealousy ....

[yellowboat]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

HRW said the Thai government is not known to have prosecuted successfully any members of the security forces for torture or other serious abuses against civilians. 

Success if a foreign concept to the Thai government. 

[Scouse123]

2 hours ago, Chip Allen said:

We can expect an investigation and the eventual release of these murderers, once the cops have relieved them of enough tea money.

The Royal Thai Army can do no wrong.

 

The police will not be relieving anyone of ' tea money ' in case you haven't noticed it's the green uniforms running the show not the brown.

 

The police have been brought in to provide a ' facade of legitimacy ' for this investigation. It conveniently gives the Army a buffer to hide behind when the public shouts ' foul '  This will be a complete whitewash by incompetent police who don't know the law and they will fill out the paperwork according to what the senior figures in Green and Brown tell them to do.

 

The Army so far has given the mother a ' pittance ' of 100,000 baht for this murder. No doubt a few more scraps will be offered and if not accepted as an end to the matter, then the full filthy machinery of corruption goes into top gear and the dirt digging will start and the young conscript will ' all of a sudden '  be accused to have been a drug dealer or gun runner or some other nonsense.

 

The next form of pressure she will come under will be false promises of sending the culprits to jail, sickening false smiles and rhetoric about ' full investigations ' and asking her to ' keep quiet for the good of the country ' etc etc.

 

We know exactly how they work.

 

Banging the drum, screaming to the UN, embarrassing them to the worlds press, that's what they hate and pressures them enough to get the best deal financially for the son because UNFORTUNATELY that's where it ends and what it always boils down to, money!............ They know no other way, as they have no understanding of compassion and empathy.

 

A few more press conferences then wait for it to be pushed out of the news by the deaths on the roads during Songkran and then is all back to their usual ways.

 

Nothing changes and nothing will.There is no backbone nor willingness for things to change yet.

 

As always, however, the Army will outstay their welcome like the always do. One thing for sure, they are consistent. How long have they been in power now,remind me????

[elgordo38]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

They include both sergeants and privates. 

So a sergeant is the biggest scapegoat they could muster.