The Royal Thai Navy has pledged not to shield anyone found to have committed wrongdoing in connection with the death of a conscript during training in 2024, following findings by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that he was assaulted and denied timely medical treatment.
In remarks on Saturday, the navy expressed condolences to the family of Pvt Siriwat Jaidee, saying it had completed an investigation, facilitated a post-mortem examination and taken disciplinary action against those involved.
It said disciplinary proceedings were separate from criminal liability and pledged full cooperation with the justice process.
The navy said it had provided initial financial assistance and funeral expenses and would examine the family’s entitlement to further compensation under the law.
It also thanked the NHRC for its 10 recommendations and pledged to consider further measures to strengthen training safety and protect personnel’s rights and welfare.
The navy said that since the incident, it had tightened safeguards against violence during training, improved medical preparedness and revised training procedures to take account of recruits’ physical and mental readiness.
The NHRC says Pvt Siriwat collapsed on July 2, 2024, while exercising at the Navy Military Police Regiment in Sattahip district, Chon Buri.
He had been ordered to run five laps around a football field but lost consciousness before completing the exercise, it said.
The NHRC found he was left lying on a concrete floor for more than an hour before being taken to Queen Sirikit Naval Hospital. He later died.
The commission also found that trainers had kicked and slapped Pvt Siriwat while he was unconscious.
Although medical and autopsy findings did not establish that the assault or disciplinary punishment directly caused his death, the NHRC concluded the violence and delayed treatment contributed to the fatal outcome.
An autopsy attributed his death to circulatory failure, while an abnormally high body temperature suggested possible heatstroke, although this was not confirmed as the cause.
The NHRC recommended compensation for Pvt Siriwat’s family, psychological support and regular updates on criminal proceedings, alongside reforms to prevent similar incidents.