The family of Vorapach Padmasakul, a military conscript who died after being beaten during disciplinary action, is pressing charges against the camp’s training commander for allowing the assault to take place, the Cross-Cultural Foundation (CrCF) said.

CrCF that the family filed a complaint on 13 August against the training commanders at Fort Nawamintharachini, alleging that they knew Vorapach was being beaten but did nothing to stop the assault.

Under the 2022 Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act, a commanding officer who knows that their subordinates will commit or have committed an offence under the Act but does not prevent the offence faces half the penalty.

On 19 October, the family’s lawyer sent a letter to the Office of Chonburi Public Prosecution requesting an update on the complaint. The office replied on 24 October saying that a public prosecutor has been appointed to work the case.

Vorapach died on 2 August 2024, three months after he enlisted in the Army, 40 days after he was admitted to the Fort Nawamintharachini Hospital. He was reportedly beaten during a ‘disciplinary action,’ and was beaten again after his instructors learned he wanted to go to their superiors about the assault. Other conscripts found the instructor in a room performing CPR on Vorapach, who was taken to the hospital 14 minutes after falling unconscious.

Two army instructors and 11 other conscripts were found guilty of charges under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act. One instructor was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while another was given 15 years. The 11 conscripts, who were appointed as assistants to the instructors, were each given 10 years.