The Court of Appeal has increased the severity of the prison sentence given to a police officer who bludgeoned to death the dog that was the unofficial mascot of Chiang Mai University.

The dog's name was Tia Morchor and he was unofficially the university's mascot. He lived on campus and took part in university activities, including the traditional walk up Doi Suthep for new students.

Tia means short in Thai and Morchor is the Thai abbreviation of Chiang Mai University.

Earlier reports said the officer served in a Border Patrol Police unit in San Sai district of Chiang Mai province and had been suspended from duty. Some media outlets named him as Pol Cpl Prinya Panyaburt, but this was not confirmed.

The dog was reported missing in May 2020. At the time, the policeman was 27 years old and the dog was aged 8 years.

A university employee reported to police that the dog had been missing from the campus since May 4, 2020. The animal was found dead three days later with a fractured skull, dumped by a roadside. 

Campus security recordings showed the dog being taken away by the officer on his motorcycle. He claimed the dog jumped off the bike and was killed in the fall.

The Criminal Court last year sentenced him to six months for animal cruelty. 

The Appeal Court has now ordered the officer to pay the university 100,000 baht in damages and extended his prison term to 16 months.