Cadet’s family files complaint with police
THE FAMILY of a teenage cadet whose death has caught national attention lodged a formal complaint with police yesterday.
Supicha Tanyakan, the elder sister of Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan, announced the decision to file a complaint but refused to elaborate.
Phakhapong, an 18-year-old student at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS), died on October 17 in what his family has described as suspicious circumstances.
The Tanyakans have asked for a full and transparent probe into Phakhapong’s death, as they have expressed doubts that he might have died as a result of excessive corporal punishment prescribed by senior students at the AFAPS.
According to the family, Phakhapong almost died in August because of punishment senior students imposed on him. He was also subject to punishment on the day before his |death.
Last week, an investigation launched by a military-established committee confirmed that Phakhapong had faced inappropriate punishment in the 48 hours before his death but insisted that he had not died because of the punishment.
Supicha’s family has not yet sat down with the committee to hear the details of the probe.
The family has focused its attention on points it would like to raise with police.
Supicha and her parents travelled yesterday from their home in Chon Buri province to Nakhon Nayok Police headquarters in Nakhon Nayok province where they met with the province’s acting commander Pol Maj-General Wattana Yeejeen.
Jurisdiction issues
A source said Nakhon Nayok police would look into Phakhapong’s autopsy and they expected to conclude the investigation before the end of the month.
“It will then forward the conclusion to the Ban Na Police Station, which is directly in charge of the case,” the source said.
The AFAPS is located in the jurisdiction of the Ban Na Police Station.
Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha said yesterday that Phakhapong’s case would be handled based on forensic science and laws.
“Of course, no one wants such a thing to happen. But given that it has already happened, we will try to prevent such cases from happening again.
“We need to comply with the law and forensic science. Emotions won’t help,” he said.
