The family of a 20 year old soldier found hanging behind his army unit in Nakhon Ratchasima is calling for further investigation after they questioned the initial conclusion surrounding his death.
Private Thitikorn Pongwankham, also known as Nam, served with the 3rd Medical Battalion at Surathampithak Camp in Mueang district. His body was discovered on Saturday, September 12, hanging from a tree behind the coffee shop used by his unit.
The 2nd Army Area reported that a soldier from the 23rd Artillery Battalion, which is based at the same camp, was the first to find Thitikorn’s body.
According to the army, Thitikorn had been granted leave from September 1 to 10 to return to his home in Na Chaluai district, Ubon Ratchathani. He did not return to the camp after his leave ended.
The army subsequently informed his family that he was missing. His relatives searched for him but were unable to locate him or find any trace of his whereabouts before his body was discovered at the camp.
The army said commanders and fellow soldiers were questioned as part of the initial investigation. No evidence of conflict, violence or assault involving Thitikorn was found.
His body was transferred to the forensic department at Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital for examination. The medical team determined that he died from asphyxia caused by hanging and reported no visible injuries or signs of assault on his body.
However, Thitikorn’s family remained unconvinced that the findings fully explained his death.
His aunt said there had been nothing unusual about him when he returned home during his leave. He paid his respects to relatives and spoke to the family about his experiences in military service.
According to his aunt, Thitikorn had enlisted because he wanted to build a career and make his family proud. She said he later told relatives shortly before leaving home that he no longer wanted to continue as a soldier.
She said she did not ask him why he had changed his mind or seek further details about what had happened during his service.
The aunt said she therefore wondered whether Thitikorn had experienced problems connected to his military duties. She also said he was LGBTQIA+ and speculated that he might have been dealing with problems involving a romantic relationship. No evidence confirming either possibility has been reported.
Thitikorn’s father, 41 year old Thawee, also said he had difficulty accepting the initial conclusion. He described his son as cheerful and said he was not aware of Thitikorn having disputes with anyone.
The 2nd Army Area provided the family with 30,000 baht in initial financial assistance and assigned soldiers to help with the funeral.
The army unit offered its condolences to the family and said it would fully cooperate with police during the investigation. It added that the final determination regarding the circumstances of the Nakhon Ratchasima soldier death would depend on the forensic results and official investigation.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
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