Autopsy confirms cadet killed by physical assault

The Central Institute of Forensic Science has found that a cadet of the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School [AFAPS] was killed by a physical assault.

Phakhapong “Meay” Tanyakan, a first-year student of the AFAPS, died on October 17.

The school and Phra Mongkutklao Hospital stated in his initial death certificate, and in the hospital autopsy report, that he died of heart failure. But the institute carried out a new autopsy at the request of the family, and it found that the cadet died because he was physically attacked. His body showed several signs of blunt force trauma. The institute also insisted that the cadet’s four broken ribs were not caused by CPR, as claimed by the school and the hospital. The death of the cadet captured national attention after Phakhapong’s family came forward last month to demand a transparent inquiry into his death.

His organs, which were removed in the first autopsy at the military-run Phramongkutklao Hospital, were later sent for a second autopsy at the institute. The institute announced that the family did not want to reveal the result of the autopsy on the internal organs.

The family said at the time that they thought Phakhapong might have been killed by senior students administering punishment, and not by cardiac arrest as the academy had claimed. The family said on Saturday that the results of the autopsy by the institute would be used for filing lawsuits against those involved in the death. The cadet’s sister, Supicha Tanyakan, posted on her Facebook wall that the family would fight the case in court to the final stage.

“We will fight until the end and the autopsy results will be used in the court fight,” she said in the post. She also stated that cremation rites for her brother would be held at 3.30pm on Sunday at Wat Wewikarm in Tambon Bang Phra in Chon Buri’s Sri Racha district. On Thursday, a fact-finding committee of the Supreme Command said it would announce the results of its probe based on interviews of 40 witnesses, including teachers and students, next week.