Chalong Riewrang, a former member of parliament for Nonthaburi province, Thailand, surrendered to local police on 10/8, confessing to the fatal shooting of Thongchai Yenprasert, Chairman of the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO).
Chalong told police he had a pre-existing financial dispute with Thongchai. He followed the provincial leader to his car and tapped on the window to speak with him. Chalong claimed Thongchai owed him 11 million baht and refused to pay. "He said he wouldn't talk, so I drew my gun," Chalong recounted while smoking and unrestrained at the police station. "I didn't intend to shoot, but his driver drew a gun and pointed it at me, so I fired."
Regional Police Commander Wattana Yeechin reported that security camera footage showed only Chalong firing his weapon. A gun was found inside Thongchai's vehicle, but no shots had been fired from it.
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Suspect Chalong at the Nonthaburi provincial police station after shooting the Provincial Administrative Organization Chairman, 10/8. Photo: AFP |
Suspect Chalong at the Nonthaburi provincial police station after shooting the Provincial Administrative Organization Chairman, 10/8. Photo: AFP
Chalong also claimed another conflict between the two parties concerned the selection of a candidate for parliamentary elections. He stated he had previously asked Thongchai's side not to nominate a specific candidate, but his request was denied. Another source indicated Chalong acted because he felt "treated unfairly."
Nonthaburi Governor Chestha Mosikarat informed reporters that the suspect and victim were "long-time friends" and suggested the incident might have stemmed from a misunderstanding. Hospital Director Sakon Sukprom confirmed Thongchai was hit by four shots and died from severe blood loss. Thongchai's driver was also shot in the right arm but sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
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The scene of the shooting in Nonthaburi province on 10/8. Photo: AFP |
The scene of the shooting in Nonthaburi province on 10/8. Photo: AFP
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul told the press that, under law, no one in Thailand, except law enforcement officials, is permitted to carry firearms in public. Anutin stated that authorities would take "the strictest legal measures" against Chalong, a former member of the prime minister's party. "No matter who he is, he is now a murderer," Anutin remarked.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the region, with over 10 million firearms in circulation, equating to one firearm for every seven residents. The incident follows a tragic event last weekend in Nonthaburi province, where a 14-year-old teenager shot and killed his grandparents, then opened fire and killed six more people at a school before taking his own life. Thai officials have pledged to implement stricter gun control regulations.
Ngoc Anh (AFP, Khaosod)
