A police probe into the death of a senior cavalry officer, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, concluded on Monday that it was an accident and not suicide, police sources said.
If the officer's death had been judged to be a suicide, he (and his family) would have lost posthumous rights.
The conclusion reached by Din Daeng police that Lt-Colonel Chaiyant Preecha accidentally shot himself in the right temple while cleaning his service pistol contradicted a statement yesterday by Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.
Anupong said the officer could have succumbed to stress stemming from his personal affairs, not work-related issues.
"The final report on the cause of the death will soon come from the commander of the 2nd Cavalry Division [Chaiyant's superior]," Anupong said.
Initial autopsy reports said Lt-Colonel Chaiyant Preecha had a gunshot wound from his right temple through to the back left side of his head. This appeared to be at odds with a forensic suggestion that it was an accidental shot while he was cleaning his service pistol, as stated in the Din Daeng police report.
Chaiyant was the commander of the prestigious 1st cavalry battalion under the 2nd Cavalry Division (Royal Guards), which played an important role in the security operations during the red-shirt protests in May.