Army Clarifies Status of Man Escorting PM at Fire Scene
The Royal Thai Army clarified that a uniformed man escorting Prime Minister Anutin at a July 14 fire inspection is a supplementary officer, not an active-duty soldier, after online criticism over his presence at the incident.
The Royal Thai Army has clarified that Maj. Nat Muabbaanngaan is a supplementary military officer who received a warrant officer promotion under Defense Ministry Order No. 1421/2566. The clarification came after online users shared images of a uniformed man walking beside Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during a July 14 inspection of a beer factory fire in the Ladprao area, sparking public criticism and questions about the individual's identity and role. The man was identified as former Bangkok Metropolitan Administration candidate Chit Phong Kattaphong, who previously ran in the Phayathai district. According to the army, Chit Phong is a supplementary officer without allowance attached to the 11th Military Region Command, and his promotion to warrant officer rank was awarded after completing mandated military training as part of 2023's reserve recruitment exercise. The army emphasized that his status is that of a supplementary officer under Defense Ministry regulations, not a regular active-duty soldier.
