Family of dead cadet wants truth

Family of dead cadet wants truth

The family of a cadet who died at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS) last month and whose cadaver was later found to be missing organs including the man's brain are demanding to know the truth.

Pakapong: Organs missing

The first-year student at the academy, 18-year-old Pakapong "May" Tanyakan, died on Oct 17, one day after he returned to school.

The academy provided a death certificate indicating he had died of sudden cardiac arrest but gave no details, according to the cadet's parents, Pichet and Sukanya Tanyakan.

On Monday, the family said they secretly removed their son's body from a cremation ceremony at a temple on Oct 24 to undergo an autopsy at the privately run Central Institute of Forensic Science (CIFS).

The autopsy found his heart, bladder, stomach and brain were all missing while his skull was filled with tissue, they said.

"It turns out when they opened up his skull, there was only tissue paper. What did they do to it [the brain]?" Pakapong's bro­ther Supicha Tanyakan said at a news conference held yesterday.

The autopsy also suggested his fourth rib had been broken and showed signs of internal bruising on the right side of his abdomen and the left side of his back, they said, adding that both collarbones were also broken.

Pakapong's sister Supicha said a report from the CIFS is expected in early January.

The Royal Thai Armed Forces held a press conference about the case yesterday to try to assuage suspicions of foul play.

Maj Gen Kanokpong Channual, a director of the AFAPS, said the body parts had to be removed for further examination to fully determine the cause of death.

Maj Gen Kanokpong said Pakapong collapsed around 4pm on Oct 17 with a weak heartbeat and CPR was provided.

He was later rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead, he added.

Due to the unusual nature of his death, an autopsy was conducted and talks were held with the cadet's parents, he said.

Lt Col Dr Narut Thongson, a doctor who conducted the autopsy, said the body was sent to the hospital on the night of Oct 18 and a postmortem conducted the following morning.

Supreme Commander Thanchaiyan Srisuwan insisted there was no attempt to steal the cadet's organs.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said he had heard the heart and lungs of the cadet were taken away for examination and another autopsy could not find any irregularities.

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