Maitree Chamroensuksakul yesterday demanded an honest, transparent investigation into the death of Chaiyapoom Pasae on Friday.

Since the shooting at a checkpoint in Chiang Mai province, several officials have referred to Chaiyapoom as a drug suspect.

“No matter what the truth is, I will accept it. But please give frank answers as to what caused Chaiyapoom’s death and whether he was really involved in drugs,” he said in an interview with The Nation.

Chaiyapoom, a teenage Lahu activist who was listed in official documents as being 21, but was actually 16 or 17, had been under Maitree’s care for more than 10 years. “I could not describe my feelings when I saw Chaiyapoom’s lifeless body,” he said.

He said he rushed to the scene as soon as he heard about the shooting, but was not allowed to meet Phong-sanai Saetala, who was with Chaiya-poom at the time of the incident.

“I also found it hard to believe soldiers’ account that Chaiyapoom took out a hand grenade,” Maitree said. The hand grenade was cited as a reason why soldiers at the permanent checkpoint opened fire on Chaiyapoom. “I also wonder why there were no security cameras at the checkpoint,” he said.

Maitree said he did not want to have any conflict with the military but he did demand the “truth” from an independent investigation.

His call for a transparent probe has been echoed by various organisations.

Nawai Police Station’s superintendent Pol Colonel Chonlathep Maichai said yesterday that the investigation was ongoing.

“We have already questioned Phongsanai. He said the drugs found in the car he was driving for Chaiyapoom that day did not belong to him. He said he just visited Chaiyapoom’s village on a holiday,” Chonlathep said.

According to authorities, about 2,800 methamphetamine tablets were found in the Chaiyapoom’s car.

Army spokesman Colonel Winthai Suvaree said Phong-sanai had cooperated with police and provided useful information. He added that the Army was willing to support efforts to clear any lingering doubts about Chaiyapoom’s case.

“A soldier fired one shot. Was it reasonable? Was the shot intended to stop an alleged attacker or to harm him? That’s what the investigation will find out,” Winthai said.

He added that in response to the order of Army chief General Chalermchai Sittisart, the Third Army Area had already set up a fact-finding committee to investigate the shooting.

The Thai Volunteer Service Foundation, a network for children, and 58 other groups yesterday said they would monitor the investigation to ensure justice was being done.

Provincial Police Region 5 chief Pol Lt General Poonsap Prasertsak said anti-narcotics police in Chiang Mai’s San Sai district had detected unusual financial transactions of Chaiyapoom and thus arranged a sting operation to try to arrest Chaiyapoom in January. “He showed up to deliver 600 methamphetamine tablets but noticed something wrong and fled before we could arrest him,” Poonsap said.