Days after a student opened fire at a school in Thailand, a former Member of Parliament shot a local government official on Monday (local time), before calling into a YouTube show and telling its presenters about the shooting.
BBC News reported the development and identified the MP as Chalong Reawraeng, a former lawmaker for the province of Nonthaburi. His victim has been identified as Thongchai Yenprasert, the president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation.
Here’s what we know
Following the attack, Chalong called a renowned political commentator who was livestreaming on YouTube at the time. The presenter, Anchalee Paireerak, a former journalist, was filmed answering the former MP’s call during her programme and said, “I’ll call you back… Oh, something big [happened]? Go ahead, what’s that?” As the call continued, she was heard saying, “Did he die? Did he die? You shot him in the head? You need to wait there for the cops.” She also told Chalong not to go anywhere.
Chalong was later arrested and allowed to give a press conference at the police station where he was being held. He told reporters that he was “angry” with Thongchai and explained the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Chalong went on to say, “I told him to take responsibility for this. If you don’t have [the money] now, you can pay in instalments to my children… I told him I’m in trouble.” Elaborating further, he said, “He then pushed me, saying ‘I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk.”
Later, the accused followed Thongchai towards his car and said, “When I pulled the gun out, I didn’t intend to shoot him. But then [Thongchai’s driver] pulled his gun out and pointed it at me, so I fired.”
According to reports, the former MP told journalists while being taken into custody that he was angry because Thongchai had refused to grant a favour he had sought.
Thongchai and his driver, who was also wounded in the shooting, were taken to hospital, with several reports describing their condition as “seriously injured.” Thongchai later succumbed to his injuries after being hospitalised in critical condition.
What do we know about Chalong and Thongchai?
Chalong has served as an MP for three terms, most recently under the Pheu Thai Party. The 71-year-old alleged shooter earned the title of a “cobra”, a Thai reference to a lawmaker who goes against party lines, after he voted for a prime ministerial candidate from another party in 1997. In the latest election, he ran for office under the ruling Bhumjaithai Party but failed to win a seat.
Thongchai, the victim, is a former police officer who currently heads the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation. He entered the police force in 1984 and went on to serve as deputy superintendent and superintendent at several police stations in Nonthaburi, located on the outskirts of Bangkok. In 2004, he was appointed to lead the provincial administrative body.
Shooting comes days after Thailand’s latest mass killing
The incident occurred only days after a 14-year-old student carried out a shooting in the same province, killing seven people at his home and school before taking his own life, in Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting since 2022.
