NAKHON PATHOM — A high-school student who was kicked into a coma by his upperclassmen during hazing activities died Thursday.

Pisit Kumniw, a Matthayom 3 student at Phra Pahtom Wittayalai School, died Thursday from injuries sustained from hazing by Matthayom 6 students, anti-hazing activist Panuwat Songsawatchai said.

Pisit passed away 4:18am Thursday after going into cardiac arrest at 3:30am. Doctors tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful.

On June 28, he was assaulted under the guise of a hazing tradition under the SOTUS creed (Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, Spirit), where he was supposed to receive a class bracelet after getting kicked three times.

One of his three assaulters was charged with assault on July 10.

Panuwat suspects the death may be another case of the well-connected getting off the hook – he says two of the alleged assaulters are the sons of policemen and have not been charged at all.

“Police only interviewed around 10 witnesses,” Panuwat said by phone Thursday. “And they still won’t let me see the police report. I fear it might be another one of those cases that just fades away silently.”

Panuwat said he was on the way to Pisit’s funeral at Wat Samrong in Nakhon Chai Si district.

SOTUS hazing, which has spread to high schools, often involves mentally and physically abusive practices that have resulted in fatalities. In July 2018, three upperclassmen were charged with grievous bodily harm for kicking a university freshman until his spleen burst. In 2014, Pokai Saengrojrat, a 16-year-old student, died from hazing activities that involved being kicked at the beach.

In 2008, a student at Uthenthawai University died after being reportedly beaten by a group of senior students during a rub nong ritual.

This is a developing story and may be updated without notice.

Related stories:

Student Charged With Assault For Kicking 15-Year-Old Into Coma

High Schooler Kicked Into Coma During SOTUS Hazing, Family Says