Death at the Thai-Myanmar Border

The Detention, Torture, and Killing of Myanmar National Aung Ko Ko in Thailand

On January 12, 2024, four soldiers from the Thai army arbitrarily arrested a 37-year-old Myanmar national named Aung Ko Ko in Mae Sot District on the Thailand-Myanmar border. Hours later, Aung Ko Ko’s bruised and bloody body was discovered lifeless and alone on the ground.

This report, Death at the Thai-Myanmar Border: The Detention, Torture, and Killing of Myanmar National Aung Ko Ko in Thailand, draws primarily on interviews with eyewitnesses, family members and affiliates of Aung Ko Ko, and human rights defenders. It describes how Thai army soldiers repeatedly beat Aung Ko Ko in a situation of detention and how he was found dead hours later.

Among other recommendations in the report, the Thai authorities must ensure an impartial and thorough investigation into the death of Aung Ko Ko, and those responsible for his death must be held accountable, regardless of rank or position.