Bangkok Post

The request was made on Tuesday to the  Criminal Court on Ratchadapisek Road.

A court source said it was unlikely to be granted because the Criminal Procedures Code stipulated that the court of instance in the area where the death occurred was the authority to deal with the inquest.

"The court has yet to rule whether Phan died because of action by the officers in charge of the crackdown, so the army request is a pre-emptive and inapproriate move," the source said.

The counsel for the plaintiff, Chokchai Angkeo, said a military court was not an appropriate venue to the case  because Phan's death was linked to those who issued the orders to the military. It also involved other people, not just the army.

Two witnesses scheduled to give testimony to the inquest on Tuesday morning, Lt Col Worakan Hoontrakoon and Capt Kriengsak Kamlamul, were unable to appear and asked that the court set another date next month.

This afternoon, the court was due to hear from Air Vice Marshal Vicharn Piewnim, a doctor who does autopsies at Ramathibodi hospital.

The Phan Kamkong inquest has been proceeding earlier than other cases so far, but the lengthy list of  witnesses on both sides suggests it will take very long time before decisions on some 20 inquests pending will beknown.

Next week, the inquest of Channarong Polsila is to begin on Monday, with two foreign journalists listed as witnesses.