A former Thai MP allegedly shot dead a local official in the southern province of Nonthaburi, then dialled into a YouTube livestream to inform the host – a political pundit – of what he had done. Former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Reawraeng told the shocked host, Anchalee Paireerak, that he had shot Thongchai Yenprasert, a former police official, outside Thongchai’s office.
Thongchai, who was hit in the neck, died in hospital. His driver was shot in the arm and hand.
Chalong was arrested but then allowed to hold a press conference at a police station where he attempted to explain what had happened while smoking a cigarette.
He told the reporters there that Thongchai was “angry” at him, but did not explain why. He also said he did not intend to shoot Thongchai, whom he described as a “good friend”.
Chalong said he told Thongchai that he wanted to talk to him. According to local media reports, the two were involved in a personal dispute.
“He [Thongchai] then pushed me, saying ‘I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk.'”
Chalong said he then followed Thongchai towards his car.
“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.”
Thongchai, a retired police colonel, was president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation or PAO, a local government body.
Earlier, Chalong had called political commentator Anchalee Paireerak, who was livestreaming on YouTube at the time, to confess to the incident.
Anchalee was filmed picking up a call midway through her programme. “I’ll call you back… Oh, something big [happened]? Go ahead, what’s that?” she said.
Viewers could not hear what the caller said next, but Anchalee was seen reacting in shock.
“Did he die? Did he die? You shot him in the head? You need to wait there for the cops,” she said on the video, which was seen by the BBC. “Don’t go anywhere.”
Monday’s shooting came three days after a 14-year-old boy shot dead eight people at his home and school, then killed himself, in Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022. The two attacks are not related.
The latest shooting will further spur debate about gun control in Thailand, which has the highest rate of gun ownership in South East Asia by a wide margin.
After Friday’s school shooting, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered tougher enforcement of gun laws and said police would set up checkpoints as part of a crackdown.
Other measures would include tightening controls on the possession, carrying and use of firearms.
By BBC News
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