A former army officer has been stripped of his sub-lieutenant rank for his role in the brutal beating of two privates at a military camp in Yala in April, leaving one of them dead and the other seriously injured.
The royal command revoking the military rank of Patthanat Lertchaikul was countersigned by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon on Oct 7 and published in the Royal Gazette on Wednesday. The order took effect retrospectively from Sept 5 when Mr Patthanat was dismissed from the army.
The announcement cited “a disciplinary offence by disobeying superiors’ lawful orders which caused serious damage to the bureaucracy as well as committing gross misconduct” as reasons for the revocation.
The army’s disciplinary investigation found Mr Patthanat and five non-commissioned officers were guilty of beating and torturing Pvt Songtham Mudmad and Pvt Chatpisut Chumphan, both 23, at Payak Camp in Yala from 9pm on April 1 to 4am the next day.
Pvt Songtham and Pvt Chatpisut had had a dispute with a senior ranking officer over alleged stolen money. The dispute ended in a fight and the two were punished by the six soldiers. Mr Patthanat ordered the drill sergeants to punish the pair.
Pvt Songtham's body was covered with injuries and bruises from a severe beating, with his face and eyes swollen, and his genitals were burned by candles. He suffered a brain haemorrhage and died the following day in hospital. Mr Chatpisut was treated in an intensive care unit.
The army jailed Mr Patthanat for 30 days and the five others for 45 days following the incident. The group are reportedly facing criminal lawsuits brought by the two conscripts’ families.