SA KAEO — The head of the 1st Army on Wednesday ordered an investigation into a supposedly official letter from a base in Aranyaprathet district that asked local police to donate liquor for an upcoming event.
Lt Gen Theppong Thippayachan issued the order after the letter with a header displaying the Garuda emblem -- the standard mark of all government correspondence -- and signed by Col Kitti Prapitpaisar, commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion, circulated on social media.
The document said to be from the 12th Infantry Regiment (King's Guard) unit was written on Nov 23 to Khlong Luek police chief with a subject line of "Requesting liquor sponsorship".
The letter said the 1st Infantry Battalion planned to organise an evening event on Dec 2 to honour His Majesty the King's 88th birthday, which falls on Dec 5, and asked the police chief to do the army a "favour" and bring a case of liquor to the affair.
Col Kitti on Tuesday called the document fake and claimed it had been doctored from the original mailed by his unit to the officer, formally inviting him to attend the Dec 2 event, which has since been cancelled.
The colonel believes the bogus document was crafted by a person or group hoping to create a rift between the military and police, as well as disgrace his unit.
Col Kitti said no alcoholic beverages have ever been served at the annual event. It was cancelled this year because his superiors are preoccupied with a Royal Guard parade ceremony and the "Bike for Dad" cycling event.
He added that the Khlong Luek police chief was a close friend and had been in the class at Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School.