THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it is seeking protection for a private who witnessed the fatal beating of his colleague.

Seven soldiers allegedly beat up these two privates at a military base in Yala’s Bannang Sata district earlier this month. Private Songtham Mudmad succumbed to his injuries, while Private Chatpisut Chumphan survived and became a key witness of the incident.

“We have asked the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre and the Justice Ministry to provide protection for this witness,” NHRC commissioner Angkhana Neelapaijit said after visiting Chaipisut. She said Chaipisut had lodged a complaint with the NHRC asking for justice.

“We will look into this case and see how relevant officials are proceeding with legal procedures against the accused,” Angkhana added.

She said Chaipisut had told her that the beating took place when Songtham asked a sergeant if he had taken his money, as Bt5,000 in cash had gone missing from under Songtham’s pillow and the sergeant was the only person seen entering the sleeping quarters while the privates were training.

“Songtham had put aside the money to send to his mother, who was repairing her house. Of the amount, Bt1,000 had been borrowed from Chaipisut,” Angkhana said.

She said the issue over the missing money had led to a quarrel, before it turned violent and the beating dragged on for hours. Chaipisut’s mother said her son was still frightened, and even talked about it in his sleep.

“He’s under great stress. He still wants to return to the military but is worried that being a witness will affect his friends there,” the mother said, as she escorted her son to Songtham’s funeral yesterday.

Chaipisut’s mother said her son insisted on going to Songtham’s funeral despite being injured because they were friends.

She added that she would have her son transferred from a hospital in Pattani to one in her hometown of Nakhon Si Thammarat so it would be easier for her to visit him.

Songtham’s funeral was held in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, and with representatives of the accused soldiers showing up to apologise, the late private’s mother Chitra Chormanee dropped her plan to take her son’s body to Government House to ask for justice. The body will be cremated today.

The spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order, Colonel Piyapong Klinphan, said the six sergeants and one major involved in the beating were being detained at a military prison as part of their disciplinary punishment.