Air Force guard gets 15-day jail for violent incident
A 15-day jail sentence has been ordered by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) for a military guard, following a violent incident for consuming alcohol on government premises. Air Marshal Boonlert Andara, a spokesperson for the RTAF, revealed details of the case involving four soldiers from Squadron One of the Yothin Air Command who were excessively punished, contrary to the government’s disciplinary guidelines.
Air Chief Marshal Panphakdee Pathanakul, the RTAF commander, is aware of the situation and ordered an expedited fact-finding investigation. He reassured the public that the RTAF has a clear and consistently enforced policy against physical harm or excessive punishment of soldiers.
The RTAF places a high importance on improving the quality of life of its personnel. If the investigation concludes that these policies have been violated, the responsible parties will face disciplinary action without exception, reports Sanook.
An investigation into the actions of the military guard from Squadron One of the Yothin Air Command has been completed. Disciplinary action has been taken in the form of a 15-day detention in the RTAF prison. A committee has been established to investigate the four soldiers who were punished. They have been admitted for treatment at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital and have admitted to the offence of consuming alcohol on government premises.
In related news, a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) RTAF leaders, chaired by Myanmar, took place in September last year. The conference in Nay Pyi Taw saw the participation of ACM Alongkorn Wannarot, the RTAF commander, alongside air force leaders from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei, according to a report by activist group Justice for Myanmar.
Several Southeast Asian counterparts, including Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, opted to boycott the event due to it being held and led by the military junta of Myanmar. Singapore also refrained from sending a representative.
These four ASEAN nations previously expressed strong demands for Myanmar’s military junta to cease violence against its citizens and adhere to an ASEAN peace plan agreed upon in 2021, which has since been ignored. Read the full story HERE.
