NONTHABURI — Former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Riewraeng was arrested after he went to the provincial administration organisation (PAO) office and shot dead its president, Thongchai Yenprasert, on Monday morning.
Mr Chalong, 71, allegedly reached Pol Col Thongchai's office in Nonthaburi's Muang district for a talk. Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed that at 10.14am Pol Col Thongchai, 71, quickly followed his driver out of his office building. Both got on Pol Col Thongchai's Volvo sports utility vehicle (SUV).
Mr Chalong rushed behind them with a pistol in his right hand. He approached the front left seat where Pol Col Thonghchai sat as the vehicle started to move.
Mr Chalong touched the front left window with his left hand while hiding his right hand which held the gun behind his back. He talked while the vehicle moved slowly. Then he moved his right hand from behind his back to his right side. The gun was seen and the vehicle stopped.
Mr Chalong continued to talk and then pointed his gun at the window of Pol Col Thongchai. The latter lowered his window and reached out his hand towards the gun.
Mr Chalong stepped back away from Pol Col Thongchai's reach and continued to talk. Seconds later he started shooting his gun at Pol Col Thonghcai and talked. The latter continued to stretch his hand outside the window apparently trying to have Mr Chalong stop shooting.
A moment later his hand was drawn back into the vehicle and Mr Chalong repeated his gunshots. The driver escaped from the vehicle. Mr Chalong walked around the back of the vehicle, apparently to find the driver who already left the scene.
Mr Chalong walked back to the front left door of the vehicle, looked at the victim and waited for a short moment before leaving the scene. The incident took about one minute from the moment Mr Chalong walked after the victim to the end of the shooting.
Pol Col Thongchai was shot four times in his chin, face, forehead and neck. The PAO president was given cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene before being rushed to Phranangklao Hospital, where he was declared dead.
The victim's driver, Yod, was shot in his right arm and saved.
According to police, Mr Chalong made a phone call to Anchalee Paireerak, a TV anchor at Naew Na news who was in the middle of a live broadcast. He told her he had just fired about five shots at Pol Col Thongchai, according to police.
Ms Anchalee told him to drop the weapon, calm down and wait for police at the PAO office as Naew Na staff were calling Rattanathibet police station.
Mr Chalong also told her that he decided to shoot the Nonthaburi PAO chief after Pol Col Thongchai refused to repay 11 million baht he said the PAO president owed him.
Mr Chalong is a well-known politician in Nonthaburi. He previously served as an MP of the Thai Citizen Party and later with the Pheu Thai Party. He was defeated in 2023, when he stood for election under the Bhumjaithai banner.
Mr Chalong was arrested and taken to Rattanathibet police station.
