Sumitchai Hattasan, of the Human Rights Lawyers Association, said some witnesses told his team that they heard more than one shot during the attempted arrest of Chaiyapoom Pasae in Chiang Mai province on March 17.

The lawyers will request an autopsy report from Nakhon Ping Hospital.

Sumitchai was speaking after visiting the site of the shooting at a checkpoint in Chiang Mai’s Chiang Dao district to collect evidence. The association has provided legal advice for Chaiyapoom’s family.

A soldier who admitted killing Chaiyapoom reportedly said he fired only one shot at the activist and had acted in selfdefence as Chaiyapoom had a weapon in his hand.

Chaiyapoom’s mother has called for the government to provide justice for her son who she said was not a drug smuggler as the army has claimed.

According to the soldier’s account, Chaiyapoom was riding in a car with his friend when he was stopped at the checkpoint. Soldiers testified that they found drugs in the car and Chaiyapoom tried to run away.

They claimed that he was about to throw a grenade at the soldier, forcing him to act in self-defence by firing at Chaiyapoom.

Sumitchai said that on examination of Chaiyapoom’s background, including talking to his friends, it was found that he had was of good behaviour, had good school grades and was helpful to his family. No one believed the allegation that he was involved with drug networks, Sumitchai added.