Legislator Reopens Nine-Year-Old Military Cadet Death Case
A legislator reopened investigation into the 2017 death of a military cadet nicknamed 'Nong May,' bringing together police and school officials to examine why the case has stalled for nine years despite a convicted officer remaining in serv
At Parliament on July 23, Rangsiman Rom, a People's Party list MP and chair of the House's legal, justice, and human rights committee, announced that his committee had convened a meeting to investigate the mysterious death of 'Nong May,' a military preparatory school student, which occurred in 2017. The meeting brought together officials from the Royal Thai Police, provincial and metropolitan police stations, the Military Preparatory School, the Institute of Forensic Science, the Attorney General of the Supreme Court of Justice, and the victim's parents.
Rom stated this was the first such meeting and expressed hope it would lead to answers in what he called an "epic tragedy." The victim's family has waited eight to nine years for justice, and the case requires investigation into the cause of death, identification of responsible parties, and prosecution of those at fault. Remarkably, a police officer involved in an assault in this case was convicted and sentenced by the Supreme Military Court but continues to serve in the police force with a normal life.
Rom noted that the military prosecutor's office issued a no-prosecution order, and the committee does not understand the reasoning. Today's meeting will question the Attorney General's office about the decision. Additionally, the matter of missing organs following the autopsy remains under investigation by Bangkok Metropolitan Police Station but has seen no progress in six years. Rom emphasized that while the Nong May case has received significant public attention, the justice system has stalled, and questioned whether a family of the deceased could truly expect justice given the lack of progress.
