The stateless activist, Chaiyapoom Pasae, was fatally shot on March 17 in Chiang Dao in an extrajudicial killing that soldiers and police have claimed is linked to illicit drug dealing.

Wuttipong Sawanchote, president of the Development Quality of Life Lahu Association, saidyesterday: “Authorities have talked about detecting unusual financial transactions in Chaiyapoom’s bank account. [So], if you have evidence, release it to clear lingering doubts.

“Soldiers have [also] said there is CCTV recordings showing Chaiyapoom resisting a soldier’s operation at a checkpoint. In that case, release the footage to make it clear to the public what have happened.”

He said several locals witnessed the shooting because it happened during the day and close to a community zone.

“Some witnesses saw Chaiyapoom being physically assaulted before being shot,” Wuttipong said.

Wuttipong said it was hard to believe the claim that Chaiyapoom was armed with a knife and a hand grenade when a soldier shot him.

“I think had he been armed, he would very like have already been shot at the checkpoint – not 200 metres away from the spot,” Wuttipong said.

Some witnesses said soldiers quarrelled with Chaiyapoom and threatened to kill him a day before the extrajudicial killing took place, the Lahu group chief said.

Because Chaiyapoom was a role-model student, his death has caught attention from in Thailand and overseas.

National Human Rights Commission member Angkhana Neelapaijit has been to Chaiyapoom’s village to help ensure the protection of witnesses after receiving a report of efforts to intimidate his guardian, Maitree Chamroensuksakul.

Wuttipong said Chaiyapoom was not the first Lahu facing such violence. But he said “I hope he is the last one.”

Meanwhile, Thai Constitution Protection Association’s secretary-general Srisuwan Janya filed a petition with the Office of the Ombudsman against the Third Region Army chief Lt-General Vijak Siribunsop yesterday morning over his alleged inappropriate comment about Chaiyapoom’s death.

Last week, Vijak said he might have shot Chaiyapoom several times if he were a soldier at the checkpoint on March 17.

Srisuwan said Vijak’s comment was a violation of the Defence Ministry’s ethical regulation and a breach of military discipline.