Court awards B4.9 million to family for private’s death

Ruling comes nearly a decade after repeated beatings at army camp in Surat Thani

PUBLISHED : 30 Jun 2026 at 17:54

The Civil Court has ordered the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Thai Army to pay 4.9 million baht in compensation to the family of a private who was beaten to death at an army camp in 2017.

The ruling in the case arising from the death of Pvt Yuthakinant Boonniam was read on Tuesday, with the ministry, the army and 11 individuals listed as defendants.

Pvt Yuthakinant was conscripted in 2015 and was serving at the 45th Military Circle in Surat Thani at the time of his death. In March 2017, he was accused of insubordination and sentenced to 15 days of detention.

It was reported that prior to the detention, a substance was found in the soldier’s urine test, which led to him being chained while in detention, He was also ordered to perform 300 burpees — a squat, push-up and jump in one movement — three times a day as part of his punishment.

At around 1.20am on March 28, 2017, Pvt Yuthakinant's cellmates received an order from army trainers to beat him repeatedly, the plaintiffs’ suit alleged.

The beating continued until 2am. At about 3.40am, cellmates tied the private upside down to the cell bars and placed a wet towel on his face until 6am, when it was time for roll call.

Pvt Yuthakinant was taken out of his cell before the duty sergeant ordered him to stand in the sun in front of the mess hall. The soldier had bruises all over his body and a laceration above his eyebrow, and was unable to stand, collapsing on the ground.

He suffered more beatings until March 31, when he developed a swollen head and a high fever. He was pronounced dead at a hospital from kidney failure and acidosis.

Prosecutors from the 45th Military Circle previously convicted 11 individual defendants of negligence, fatal assault and violations of personal rights, ordering prison terms ranging from three to six years.

The civil court ordered the defendants to pay 4.1 million baht in compensation to the deceased’s family, with 5% annual interest accruing from the date the lawsuit was filed.

One defendant had previously agreed to pay the plaintiffs one million baht in compensation. Negotiations with the others are ongoing, said a source familiar with the case.

Pvt Yuthakinant Boonniam died in hospital of kidney failure and other causes after repeated beatings and abuse in 2017.