A probe has been launched after a student was allegedly badly beaten and suffered a ruptured spleen as part of a military-style “disciplinary” punishment by his seniors at Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep.
Pawarit Rangsit, 19, needed urgent surgery to remove his spleen on Thursday. As of press time, he remains on a respirator in the intensive care unit at Somdech Phra Pinklao Hospital.
The punishments were issued on Wednesday.
According to Pawarit’s friends, three third-year students criticised them and Pawarit for failing to ensure that first-year students pay proper respect to seniors.
The third-year students then ordered them to receive punishments, which involved push-ups and a beating. They allege the seniors punched the stomach of the second-year students until Pawarit collapsed.
Pawarit’s aunt Rungroj Kwankomon, and his mother, Prasopsuk Chiangchaowai, lodged a complaint with police on Friday.
Thung Maha Mek Police Station’s deputy superintendent Pol Lt Colonel Narong Yimpan said investigators would interview Pawarit’s friends and contact the university to arrange the surrenders of the three suspects.
“If they do not surrender, we will issue a summons. If they do not respond to the summons, they will face arrest warrants,” he said.
The university’s president Sukit Nitinai said his institute had already looked into the case.
“Our probe is now ongoing,” he said. “The results should come out within 15 days.”
Sukit said: “The three suspects have not come to the university since the incident occurred on Wednesday but we have already contacted their parents.”
Sukit added that if senior students violated the rights of juniors, they would be suspended from study for one semester. “But if they have resorted to physical assaults, they will be fired,” he said.
Rungroj said her nephew came home on Wednesday night looking pale and complained of muscle pain.
“But he told me he played football and did a lot of exercise,” Rungroj said. “So, I just gave him painkiller and muscle relaxant.”
Pawarit has lived with his aunt since a young age as his mother works at a bank outside Bangkok.
At about 4am on Thursday, Pawarit knocked on the door of his aunt’s bedroom asking for help.
“He said he vomited and had bowel movements the whole night,” Rungroj said.
She rushed him to the Somdech Phra Pinklao Hospital and informed her sister.
They then contacted the university to demand an explanation.
