78 days after the death of activist Netiporn ‘Bung’ Sanesangkhom, who died in prison following a long hunger strike, a lawyer has urged the authorities to expedite their investigation and disclose all findings to the public before the court inquest into Bung’s death proceeds, asserting that her death occurred at the Correctional Hospital.

Lawyer Krisadang Nutcharat said in a statement released on 31 July that the activist died 78 days ago, but the cause of her death on 14 May has yet to be explained or clarified by the responsible authorities.

According to a Thammasat University Hospital statement, Netiporn was administered CPR beginning at 06.23 am at the Corrections Hospital and she was found unconscious and without vital signs upon arrival at Thammasat University Hospital at 9.30 am. CPR was administered continuously for 2 hours before she was pronounced dead at 11.22 am.

The lawyer stated that the Ministry of Justice, representing the government in this matter, has not conducted a thorough investigation into the true cause of Netiporn's death. The law enforcement agencies responsible for examining and seeking accountability in Netiporn's death have also not taken any action. Krisada asserted that this incident is a clear blemish on the Thai justice system.

He has made efforts to investigate the facts surrounding the activist’s death as far as the evidence allows, including medical reports, CCTV footage, and witnesses. The findings are as follows:

1. Evidence suggests that Netiporn died at the Correctional Hospital on the morning of 14 May.

2. CCTV footage from the hospital’s prison ward shows that when Netiporn first exhibited critical symptoms, no resuscitation was provided by skilled medical personnel. The resuscitation efforts captured on video were not in accordance with medical standards, and no standard medical equipment was used.

3. The transfer of Netiporn from her bed to the hospital’s emergency room took an inordinately long time and appeared to have significant errors. It is evident from the footage that her abdomen was noticeably swollen during resuscitation attempts in the emergency room.

4. The decision to transfer Netiporn from the Correctional Hospital to Thammasat University Hospital, which is farther away than other modern hospitals, despite clear evidence that she had no vital signs, was a questionable decision by the responsible parties.

5. CCTV footage from Thammasat University Hospital shows that the transfer from the ambulance to the emergency room was unusually and unreasonably delayed. Moreover, the doctor accompanying the ambulance sat next to the driver, not with the patient in the back.

6. Medical records from Thammasat University Hospital indicate that Netiporn had no vital signs upon arrival. The intubation tube was incorrectly placed in the oesophagus instead of the trachea, requiring correction. An autopsy revealed a significant amount of air in her abdominal cavity, causing visible swelling.

The lawyer said the observations were made by himself, Netiporn’s family and independent experts based on medical reports from the Correctional Hospital and Thammasat University Hospital, post-mortem examination reports, and available CCTV footage. Detailed medical and chemical analyses, as well as assessments of resuscitation efforts, have been prepared separately for the court inquest.

He asserted that Netiporn’s death occurred at the Correctional Hospital. Therefore, the inquest into her death must be conducted by the Criminal Court, which has jurisdiction.

The lawyer also urged the investigative committee of the Ministry of Justice to expedite their investigation and promptly disclose all findings to the public and relevant parties before the court inquest into Netiporn’s death proceeds.

The 28-year-old activist was held in pre-trial detention on a royal defamation charge since 26 January, when her bail was revoked.  She had been on a hunger strike since 27 January.

Netiporn died on 14 May after suffering cardiac arrest following a hunger strike to call for judicial system reform and the release of political dissidents.

Her death certificate said that she died from heart failure and asphyxiation, while the autopsy concluded that the cause of death was acute heart failure, electrolyte imbalance, and cardiomegaly (enlarged heart).

Netiporn’s medical records from the Corrections Hospital, where she was held before her death, indicated that Netiporn had Re-feeding Syndrome, a condition caused by a severe shift in electrolytes when a person who is malnourished begins feeding again. It also stated that she was sent for a chest x-ray and a brain CT scan while CPR was being performed.  Her family questioned whether her CPR was interrupted when these tests were conducted. They also wondered why the time when efforts to resuscitate Netiporn began was recorded differently on different documents.