Thai soldier seriously injured in suicide attempt at military camp

A Thai soldier suffered a serious injury after a suicide attempt at a military camp in the central province of Prachin Buri. His motive was alleged bullying and pressure from senior officers at the camp.

A 22 year old Thai woman took to social media to seek justice for her older brother, Prakit, who is now being treated in an emergency room after the suicide attempt at 8pm yesterday, March 21. The sister told Channel 7 that her brother was a conscript at a military camp in Prachin Buri and reportedly jumped from his dormitory.

According to the sister, Prakit came to her for help, saying that senior soldiers at the camp were bullying him. He sent messages to his sister via the LINE application pleading for help.

“Please help me. I am shaking and very scared now.”

The sister asked Prakit to tell her what had happened to him but he refused to divulge. Prakit said he could only tell her when he got home.

Prakit then asked for a day off and planned to return home on April 1. The sister received the last message from him at around 5.30pm yesterday before the fall. Prakit sent his sister a selfie picture in a military shirt and another message.

“Trust me. They knew I was typing and sending you messages, but they didn’t know what I was talking about.”

The sister told Channel 7 that one soldier at the camp met her and family members at the hospital and revealed that her brother intentionally jumped off from his dormitory.

The soldier asked whether some family problems led Prakit to make a suicide attempt but the sister insisted that her family had no problems.

Unclear details

The Facebook news page, Esor News, demanded the Royal Thai Army (RTA) provide clarification regarding the incident to the public. The page’s administrator stated that she spoke with several soldiers at the scene, each of whom provided varying accounts.

According to the soldiers, Prakit allegedly jumped from different floors; some claimed it was the sixth floor, others stated the third floor, while some insisted it was the second floor. This discrepancy raises suspicions that Prakit’s fall may not have been a suicide attempt but rather related to bullying.

A similar incident was reported in the RTA camp on March 19 when a former assistant to Move Forward Party MP committed suicide on duty. This conscript also told the MP about harrowing experiences in the military camp before his decision to commit suicide.

However, the RTA came forward and insisted that the motive for his suicide was a problem with his girlfriend and not the pressure, bullying or any matter related to the RTA.

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.