NAKHON SAWAN: The owner of a military cadet tutorial school in Muang district of Nakhon Sawan has been arrested over the death of a 15-year-old schoolboy attending the boarding school.
Police investigators from Muang police station and the Crime Suppression Division arrested Natthaphol Thavornphibun, owner of Ban Phi Nat tutorial school, at Iceland housing estate in tambon Wat Sai at around 1.30am on Tuesday.
Mr Natthaphol, 27, was wanted under an arrest warrant for colluding in an assault causing death, said police.
The arrest followed statements given by current and former students that the owner had had joined four students in the assault on Thanakorn Sapsin, 15.
The boy, alias “Nong Chaidaen’’, died after suffering multiple injuries at the school last week. The injuries suggested he was hit with a hard object across his back and legs.
An autopsy conducted at Police General Hospital showed Thanakorn sustained bleeding in the abdominal cavity and suffered trauma to several internal organs.
Mr Natthaphol denied any involvement. His lawyer was preparing documents for a bail application, said police.
On Monday, Nakhon Sawan police, local officials and forensic officers searched the tutorial school for clues about the boy's death.
His family said they were not convinced Thanakorn’s death was caused by rugby-style horseplay among friends, as claimed by the school head.
Thanakorn, of Tak province, had been living and studying at the tutorial school for almost two years to prepare for the military cadet academy extrance exam, along with 10 other students.
The boy was injured on June 9 and later fell into a coma. He was taken to Nakhon Sawan Pracharak Hospital’s intensive care unit on June 12 and died the next day.