The Army has begun overhauling the management of its golf courses, as well as other recreational and sports facilities, following the mass shooting in Nakhon Ratchasima last year by a soldier.
Army spokesman Lt Gen Santipong Thammapiya gave the details on Thursday, the first anniversary of the Nakhon Ratchaima shooting in which 31 people were shot dead and 57 others wounded.
He said the army had set up a committee to investigate the mass shooting. It also provided remedies and punished those who were involved.
The army helped those who were killed and injured, he said. As part of the measures, 31 people had been recruited by it, 26 by the police and one by the State Railway of Thailand, said Lt Gen Santipong.
Four people involved in the shooting were not compensated. They were gunman Sgt Maj 1st Class Jakrapanth Thomma, 32, his commander Col Anantharot Krasae, Mrs Anong Mitchan, and Mr Pitthaya Kaewprom.
Sgt Maj 1st Class Jakrapanth, of the Surathampithak army camp, shot dead Col Anantharot, his commander’s mother-in-law and Mr Pitthaya over a real estate deal at Mrs Anong’s home in a military base.
The solider and his commander had their military ranks removed and were not entitled to any pension. A military unit commander faced punishment and a commander of a welfare unit was transferred to take a specialist position with no rank promotion, said the spokesman.
The army has also improved security measures at its armouries. Its welfare system was also restructured to be in line with the Prime Minister’s Office regulations.
The spokesman also gave details on the army’s management of commercial and welfare schemes, especially its golf courses and recreational and sports facilities.
The army’s 36 golf courses would be developed. The Suan Son Pradipat Army Rehabilitation and Recreation Centre in Prachuap Khiri Khan has become a commercial welfare business.
Two golf courses in Ram Intra in Bangkok and Lanna at Kavila camp in Chiang Mai were in the process of document preparations. The 33 other golf courses remained welfare facilities for military personnel, said the army spokesman.
As for its three boxing stadiums, the army permanently closed down two of them at Adisorn military camp in Saraburi and Suranaree camp in Nakhon Ratchasima.
Army chief Gen Narongphan Jitkaewtae has set up a panel to study the Lumpini boxing stadium, which could be developed into a place of business or a sports development centre. It may no longer have boxing matches, but the focus will be instead on sports learning such as boxing, judo and taekwando.
The army’s horse racing track at Suranaree camp in Nakhon Ratchaima remained closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak, said the spokesman.
The army chief has set up a panel to study whether the horse-racing track could be used for other purposes such as developed as a tourist attraction or a public park for the maximum benefits of the public, said Lt Gen Santipong.
Two other recreational sites at Bang Pu in Samut Prakan and Chao Samran beach in Phetchaburi would continue to be welfare facilities for personnel, he added.
“The army chief’s policy is that the army will not get involved in sports associated with gambling, but will allow use of army properties for the maximum benefits of the people,’’ said the spokesman.