Late yesterday, the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School released CCTV footage of deceased cadet Pakapong Tanyakan captured hours before his death.
The footage is from the school’s medical division of the school where, they allege, the 18-year-old was being treated before he died of what’s being called sudden cardiac arrest on Oct. 17, reported Thai PBS.
The footage was released because the parents, Pichet and Sukanya Tanyakan, have spoken to the media several times about their suspicions about their son’s death and its cause. They have also stated that, upon private autopsy, they learned that the boy’s heart, brain, and stomach were missing, which amplified their suspicions.
The footage may serve to show that the boy was ill before he died, an allegation the parents deny. The footage appears to show Pakapong leave the medical station at 9:30am on the day of his death to return to his room, where he collects personal items before returning to the medical area. The footage also appears to show him fainting on the stairs and being taken into a room to be treated.
Footage taken at 2pm seems to show the cadet meeting with Col. Yuporn, the assistant director of the medical unit. They appear to speak for about 30 minutes.
Just after 3pm, Col. Yuporn is seen speaking on the phone, supposedly with the boy’s mother about his health. Later, Pakapong is handed the phone and speaks for 12 minutes.
At 3:20pm, after returning to his room, the cadet is seen holding his chest.
At 3:40pm, Sgt. Maj. Watcharin brings a cell phone to Pakapong, who allegedly spoke to his father on the device. As he enters the room, the sergeant sees the cadet in distress and rushes to help him. He calls the doctor for help.
The last released footage, just after 4pm, shows Pakapong being lifted onto a stretcher to go to the hospital and being accompanied by school medical officials.
The footage was released to try and shed light on what happened on the boy’s final day. While the military school alleges that the boy had a string of health-related issues at the school, which he attended for just five months, his parents allege that he was fine but was subject to overzealous discipline at the school. Their private autopsy revealed, they allege, that, not only were organs missing, but the boy had two broken collarbones, a broken rib, and internal bruising at the time of his death.
The military has also said they will return the boy’s organs to the parents, reported Bangkok Post.
Yok Sundarajumpaka says
Ill my ass, covering his ribs like that is a clearly sign of physical injury i.e. broken ribs, not ill