A senior Thai politician has died after a former MP opened fire outside a government building on Monday, just days after the same region witnessed a major school shooting incident in which at least nine people died.
Thongchai Yenprasert, the president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, died at hospital while receiving treatment after he was shot multiple times, according to officials.
His driver was also injured in the attack that happened outside the Nonthaburi provincial office's building.
Police said Chalong Reawraeng, a former lawmaker, has been arrested.
He called a YouTuber who was livestreaming shortly after opening fire to claim responsibility for the attack. In a press conference from a police station, he apologised to the family and friends of Thongchai.
He called him a “good friend” but said he was angry with him over money-related issues.
"I can’t believe I’m in this position, sitting here. Throughout my life, I had never to come to a police station,” he said.
“Today I went to talk to my friend up in [his office]. We spoke and he didn’t listen to me. He didn’t talk. He didn’t acknowledge anything."
Key Points
- Victim dies at hospital
- Shooter has been arrested, police say
- Former lawmaker claims responsibility for attack
- Shooter apologises, calls victim a 'good friend'
Chalong Riewrang seen smoking at police station
11:35 , Shweta Sharma
Chalong Riewrang, who is accused of shooting a politician, was pictured smoking a cigarette at a police station where he held a press conference.
He was arrested soon after the shooting, but then still allowed to address the media at the police station.
Thailand’s gun ownership rate fuels concerns after latest shooting
11:27 , Shweta Sharma
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in Asia, second only to Pakistan and far surpassing its Southeast Asian neighbours.
Data collected in 2017 by the groups Small Arms Survey and GunPolicy.org in their last extensive international study found civilian gun ownership in Thailand was about 15.1 guns per 100 people, compared with less than one per 100 in neighboring Malaysia.
Thailand had 3.49 deaths by firearms per 100,000 people, according to 2023 statistics published by World Population Review. That puts it well behind parts of Latin America and the Caribbean, but relatively high in Asia. Only the Philippines is higher in Southeast Asia.
While shootings involving indiscriminate killings are not common, the country has seen an uptick in high-profile shooting deaths in recent years.
In February, a 17-year-old stole a gun from police and opened fire at a public high school in southern Thailand, briefly taking people hostage in a two-hour attack that killed one person and wounded two others.
A 14-year-old boy was accused of a 2023 shooting at a major Bangkok shopping mall.
Latest pictures show accused in police custody
11:20 , Shweta Sharma
The latest pictures from Thailand show Chalong Reawraeng, a former local lawmaker, in police custody after his arrest in Nonthaburi.
Pictures from the scene of the shooting also show forensic officers examining bullet casings.
Police confirm man admitted to shooting for personal reasons
11:15 , Shweta Sharma
Regional police commander Wattana Yeejeen said the suspect had admitted to the shooting and that the motive is believed to be personal.
Chalong Riewraeng told reporters at a local police station that he was arguing with Thongchai over money he had lent him.
He said he followed Thongchai to his car before drawing his weapon.He said he did not intend to shoot Thongchai, but the driver also drew a gun and pointed at him, prompting him to open fire.
"I wanted to apologise to the people of Nonthaburi," he said.
"I had no intention. We were good friends and I thought we could talk it out, but he wouldn't talk to me."
Everything we know about the shooting in Nonthaburi
10:59 , Shweta Sharma
- A gunman opened fire outside a local government office at 11am in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, on Monday.
- Police identified the suspect as Chalong Reawraeng, a former lawmaker from Nonthaburi province. He was arrested after the shooting.
- Chalong allegedly fired at Thongchai Yenprasert, president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, and his driver. Thongchai later succumbed to his injuries, while his driver is in stable condition.
- Chalong told reporters he had known Thongchai as a “good friend” but had become angry with him over money-related issues.
- Chalong said he had previously helped Thongchai when he was working in real estate and struggling financially. He said he later approached Thongchai for help after being left without an income because of his medical expenses.
- Chalong said Thongchai pushed him away, telling him, “I don’t want to talk,” before walking towards his car. Chalong said he followed him.
- Shortly after opening fire, Chalong called a YouTuber who was livestreaming and claimed responsibility for the attack.
- The shooting comes just days after a 14-year-old boy’s rampage at his home and the Debsirin Nonthaburi School left nine people dead, including the shooter, and more than 20 wounded.
Who is the suspect?
10:06 , Shweta Sharma
Chalong Reawraeng, who opened fire on two people on Monday, killing one, 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.
Victim succumbs to his injuries following shooting
09:43 , Shweta Sharma
Thongchai Yenprasert, a former police officer who was the president of a provincial administrative organisation, has died in hospital after being shot multiple times, allegedly by a former lawmaker.
He was allegedly shot by Chalong Reawraeng over a money-related dispute.
Two shooting incidents in Nonthaburi spark debate on gun laws
09:39 , Shweta Sharma
The latest shooting happened in Nonthaburi province, where a teenage student on Friday killed six people and himself at a school after allegedly shooting dead his grandparents, in the country's worst mass killing in nearly four years.
The incidents of shootings have set off a debate on gun control laws in Thailand, which has the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia by a wide margin.
Under government rules, people in Thailand are required to obtain separate licences for owning and carrying firearms, and there are tough punishments in place for violators.
Nonetheless the country also has one of the highest rates for mass shootings in Asia, with recent incidents including at schools, a major Bangkok mall and a 2022 killing spree in the country's northeast that killed 36 people including 22 children.
Shooter says he lent money to Thongchai
09:26 , Shweta Sharma
Chalong Reawraeng said he had previously helped Thongchai Yenprasert when Thongchai was in the real estate business and struggling financially.
Chalong told reporters that he had been receiving treatment for polycythemia since 2011 and had spent so much on medical care that he was left without an income. He said he approached Thongchai for financial help, but the situation escalated.
"He then pushed me, saying 'I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to talk'," Chalong said.
"Then he started walking. Then I followed him to his car."
He said: "I can’t believe I’m in this position, sitting here. Throughout my life, I had never to come to a police station.”
“Today I went to talk to my friend up in [his office]. We spoke and he didn’t listen to me. He didn’t talk. He didn’t acknowledge anything."
Who is Thongchai Yenprasert?
09:19 , Shweta Sharma
Thongchai Yenprasert is the 71-year-old president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation.
He was appointed chief of the provincial body in 2004.
He is a former police officer who joined the forces in 1984 and served as the deputy superintendent.
He also served as a superintendent of several district police stations in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok.
He was believed to be known to the alleged shooter, Chalong Reawraeng.
Incident comes days after a teenager opened fire at his school
09:10 , Shweta Sharma
The latest shooting incident happened in Thailand just days after a 14-year-old boy opened fire at his school, killing seven people on the premises before turning the gun on himself.
Hours earlier, he had allegedly shot dead his grandparents at home before coming to the school in Nonthaburi province, just outside Bangkok, police officials said.
At least 14 people remain hospitalised, of whom seven remain in critical condition Saturday, said Thailand’s health ministry. It said most of those wounded were between 12 and 14 years old.
Authorities in Thailand are now facing a major challenge of tightening access and control of guns among its population.
The ministry of education said it would develop new safety protocols over the next three months, including mental health screenings and a system to refer at-risk people to specialists, drills for emergency response plans, a drive to stamp out bullying and better detection to stop items from being taken into schools.
Victim in 'severe condition' at hospital, governor says
09:09 , Shweta Sharma
Thongchai Yenprasert has been hit by several bullets and remains in a "severe" condition, Nonthaburi's provincial governor has told Thai media.
One of the bullets hit Thongchai in his neck, governor Chettha Mosikarat said.
"He still has pulse and has been sent in for an operation because the bullet hit his neck and cut through major veins," Chettha said.
“The doctors decided to perform an operation to stitch the damaged veins."
Thongchai's driver was hit in his arm and the hand and is undergoing surgery at the hospital.
He said the alleged shooter had known Thongchai for sometime but he was not aware of any conflict between them.
Shooter apologises, calls victim a 'good friend'
09:03 , Shweta Sharma
The alleged shooter, Chalong Reawraeng, has apologised to the family and friends of Thongchai Yenprasert in a press conference from the police station after he was arrested.
He called him a “good friend” but said he was angry with him for money-related issues.
"I told him to take responsibility on this. If you don’t have [the money] now, you can pay in instalments to my children... I told him I’m in trouble," he said.
"He then pushed me, saying 'I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk.'
"He said he then followed him to his car with a gun, but claims he did not do so with the intention of shooting him.
"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."
"I’d like to apologise to the people of Nonthaburi who loved the PAO chief, or his family, or any other people," he said, referring to Provincial Administrative Organisation.
"I didn’t intend to do anything, because he’s a good friend of mine, but he didn’t want to talk to me,” he said.
"My family will be in deep sorrow. My daughter will surely be heartbroken," he said.
"They wouldn’t think this is something I would have done."
Former lawmaker claims responsibility for attack
08:35 , Shweta Sharma
A well-known former lawmaker, Chalong Reawraeng, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
He first claimed it in a phone call to a popular political commentator, who was livestreaming on YouTube at the time, and later at a press conference.
During the call, the presenter Anchalee Paireerak asked the lawmaker: "Did he die? Did he die? You shot him in the head? You need to wait there for the cops.”
She appeared visibly shocked, while viewers were not able to hear the caller.
Shooter has been arrested, police say
08:26 , Shweta Sharma
Police said Chalong Reawraeng, a former lawmaker from Thailand’s Nonthaburi province, has been arrested. His alleged target, Thongchai Yenprasert, is president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation.
The victim and his driver have been hospitalised after being shot, with several local media reports suggesting they were seriously injured.
"There were two people wounded, who have been sent to hospital for treatment," major general Dejrapee Kongdee, the police commander of Nonthaburi, which borders Bangkok, said.
Thailand rocked by second shooting in days as former MP opens fire
08:26 , Shweta Sharma
A former Thai MP has claimed responsibility for a shooting at a local government office in Nonthaburi province, just days after the same region witnessed a major school shooting incident in which at least nine people died.
Two people, including a senior provincial official and his driver, have been injured in the attack that happened outside the provincial office's building.
