Death in military barracks: 26 conscripts killed in 17 years

Last week, it was reported that Private Phetcharat Kamlangying, an Army conscript attached to the 2nd Artillery Regiment, King’s Guard, at Fort Phrom Yothee in Prachinburi, died in November 2025 under suspicious circumstances. Claims have been made that, while being detained in a military prison for unauthorized absence, Pte Phetcharat was beaten. He lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A few days later, reports surfaced of Private Phruetsapha Wimutthithamchai, an Air Force who died in July 2025 while undergoing training. His family is questioning why he was still participating in training although he was sick and has a doctor’s order to stop training. Meanwhile, the Air Force said he died from a brain abscess, but the family question his treatment.

Pte Phetcharat and Pte Phruetsapha are two of at least 26 conscripts reported to have died under suspicious circumstances during military service over the past 17 years. Almost half of this number were reportedly subjected to beatings by commanding officers or senior conscripts. Some were said to have died following a sudden illness such as heatstroke and heart failure, while others reportedly committed suicide.

Date of death	Name of conscript	Cause of death
14 – 15 April 2009	Apinop Krueasuk	Found dead at the residence of the 1^st Army Region Commander. His autopsy found that he died from a skull fracture, while the investigation concluded that his death was accidental.
5 June 2011	Wichian Puaksom	Beaten by an Army lieutenant and 9 other officers
29 June 2014	Somchai Si-ueangdoi	An autopsy concluded that his cause of death was Bird Flu, but his family was suspicious as he told them before his death that, as punishment, three officers put a tinplate container over his head and beat him in his head, back, and chest 20 times
4 April 2016	Songtham Mudmad	Beatened by an Army sub lieutenant and 4 other officers.
1 April 2017	Yuthkinan Boonniam	Beaten to death while detained at a military prison
19 August 2017	Noppadol Worakitpan	After being brought home by two other conscripts, a family member found him dead with blood from his mouth and nose. Cause of death is unclear.
12 November 2017	Adisak Noipitak	His mother was told that he had been admitted to an army hospital with a stomachache 10 days after his military service began. His death certificate said that he died from heart failure, but a subsequent autopsy requested by his family found that he died from an intestinal infection.
14 February 2018	Muhammad Irfan Jehma	On 28 January 2018, his family was told that he was admitted to an ICU due to a heatstroke. His condition later improved. On 13 February 2018, the family was told that his condition worsened and he was admitted to a hospital again. He died later that night.
3 June 2018	Kittisak Bonmanee	A relative was informed that he died from a bloodstream infection because he did not treat his sprained ankle properly. The family did not find his death suspicious.
14 September 2018	Kacha Paya	On 21 August 2018, Kacha was reportedly beaten by three senior conscripts until he lost consciousness. He was admitted to a hospital with a brain swelling and lung infection. He required a ventilator and later developed a bloodstream infection. He died after 24 days in the hospital. His family pressed charges against the senior conscripts for assault. The police said that there was not enough evidence to charge them with attempted murder, while the Army told the family that they would host his funeral for 7 days.
23 May 2019	Luechanon Nuntabut	His family was informed that he had died after being electrocuted and falling from the 6^th story of a building. The Army told them to come to Bangkok for the cremation ceremony and not to take his body back to their hometown, claiming that his body was in bad shape. The Army covered the cost of the funeral and chose the temple where it was organized. The family found his death and the surrounding circumstance suspicious. Meanwhile, an autopsy performed by the Police Hospital found that he had a broken thoracic vertebrae due to blunt force trauma.
14 September 2020	Seri Butwong	Two weeks after he began military service, Seri’s family was told that he had died from an Ischemic Stroke. Meanwhile, the Army said that his cause of death was arrthmia and that he was not assaulted. The Army covered the cost of his funeral and paid his father 200,000 baht.
1 November 2020	Rachata Senasanit	He was found dead at a gazebo on the side of a pond in a military prison in Khon Kaen. His death was ruled a suicide.
6 November 2020	Pichawat Wiangnon	He was found hanged inside a cell at Fort Prasertsongkhram in Roi Et. His mother found his death suspicious, noting that he had told her he was being beaten in the military camp. She tried to petition the Crime Suppression Division to take over the investigation, but received a phone call from an alleged military officer threatening to end the Army’s support for the family if she does not stop. An autopsy performed on 10 November found that he died by hanging and no bruises or other injuries were found.
6 November 2020	Sataporn Piadpad	Sataporn died in a military prison in Phetchabun. An officer who informed his family alleged that the cause of death was heart failure.
28 April 2020	Jetsadakorn Natesaengsi	Jetsadakorn was taken to a hospital on 28 April 2020 and later died. An autopsy found herbicide in his stomach and no evidence of assault. His family did not believe he committed suicide. The Army did not offer an explanation. No representative came to his funeral, citing the Covid-19 pandemic.
26 November 2022	Private Kachornsak (last name withheld)	Kachornsak was sentenced to 13 months in a military prison for stealing around 500 baht. On 15 November 2022, his mother was told he had died after being beaten by 11 conscripts detained with him because he took two of their instant coffee packets. The Army pressed charges against the 11 conscripts and gave his family 200,000 baht.
24 June 2022	Veerawat Trachuvanich	Veerawat was taken to a hospital in the early morning after being found hanged. The forensic report stated his cause of death as hanging. Before his death, Veerawat was taken to see a psychiatrist because he was anxious and had troubles sleeping. He was then diagnosed with depression. His family found the situation suspicious as they did not believe he committed suicide. They said that the bruising on his neck was unusual, and did not believe he was depressed.
4 June 2023	Wannawut Lamphapa	It was initially reported that he was beaten to death as punishment for bringing an electronic cigarette into the military camp. On 7 June 2023, several media outlets reported that, according to his autopsy report, he died from a pre-existing condition and was not assaulted. His mother said that her son does not smoke and it was not true that he brought an electronic cigarette to the camp. She said he often had trouble breathing while exercising. However, she said she has no more question about her son’s death. His military unit said on 9 June 2023 that he was not punished but lost consciousness while exercising with other conscripts.
16 July 2023	Kittithorn Wiangbanpot	Kittithorn died agter being admitted to a hospital for a bloodstream infection. His family believes he got sick because he was being punished by his drill sergeant. The Army did not offer an explanation about why he got sick, but said that officers followed the rule when training and punishing conscripts. They also claimed Kittithorn refused to see a doctor. Meanwhile, a senior officer spoke to the family and offered to pay them 230,000 baht.
2 August 2024	Vorapach Padmasakul	Vorapach died three months after enlisting. He was beaten by two army instructors and 11 other conscripts as a “disciplinary action.” According to his doctors, he had a brain oedema, broken ribs, a pneumothorax, a broken clavicle, and a broken spine. One instructor was sentenced to 20 years in prison for charges under the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act. Another was given 15 years. The 11 conscripts were each given 10 years.
2 July 2024	Siriwat Jaidee	Siriwat, a Navy conscript, collapsed after a drill sergeant ordered him to run around several times. The drill sergeant then kicked him in the leg and ribs and hit him in the face because he believes Siriwat was faking it. The drill sergeant then ordered other conscripts to carry Siriwat to a flag pole and left him in the sun. In the evening, the conscripts heard him cried out and took him to a hospital, but he died en route.
24 July 2025	Phruetsapha Wimuttithamchai	An Air Force conscript attached to the 1^st Security Forces Battalion in Don Muang, Bangkok, Phruetsapha died 2 months after beginning his military service. It was reported that he was sick, with symptoms including chronic ear discharge and inability to walk straight. His instructor did not allow him to rest at the infirmary but made him lie on a hammock under a building where other conscripts were training. On the day he died, Phruetsapha fell off the hammock, but the instructor told other conscripts not to help him up. When the conscripts checked on him after their training, he had no pulse and was subsequently taken to Bhumibol Hospital. He died one month later. The Air Force said Phruetsapha died from a brain abscess. However, his family questions his treatment, including why he was not allowed to take a break from training despite a doctor’s order.
11 November 2025	Phetcharat Kamlangying	An Army conscript attached to the 2nd Artillery Regiment, King’s Guard, at Fort Phrom Yothee in Prachinburi, Phetcharat was being detained in a military prison for unauthorized absence. On 11 November 2025, Phetcharat was taken to the Fort Chakrapongse Hospital after reportedly losing consciousness. Claims have been made that he was beaten by other conscripts detained with him.
11 November 2025	Rachen Yawamue	Rachen was being detained in a room in a military camp in Phitsanulok for stealing a motorcycle and left while attending a medical appointment. On 11 November 2025, he asked an officer in charge of the detention room to go to the toilet and was later found hanged. The Army said that he had previously been treated for a mental health condition at Suan prung Psychiatric Hospital in Chiang Mai. He continued to receive treatment at Fort Somdej Phranaresuan Maharaj Hospital. An army spokesperson also alleged he had a history of drug use.
11 January 2026	Krittanon Phonchantuek	An army conscript attached to the 2^nd Development Battalion in Nakhon Ratchasima, Krittanon and two other soldiers were beaten by a non-commissioned officer and other conscripts between 9 – 10 January 2026, allegedly because they broke some unit regulations. Krittanon died on 11 January, while the other two soldiers were injured.

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