Thailand: Gunshots fired in government office, ex-MP arrested
The suspected shooter is reportedly a former lawmaker who fired several shots at a senior official at a government office. The incident came just days after Thailand's deadliest shooting in nearly four years.
A former lawmaker was arrested by Thai police after allegedly opening fire at a local government office near Bangkok on Monday morning, according to Nonthaburi police chief Major Dejrapee Kongdee. The suspect targeted a senior provincial officer and his driver, with the officer tragically succumbing to his injuries at a nearby hospital.
The post reported that President of the provincial administration, Thongchai Yenprasert, was among those killed. This incident occurred just days after a 14-year-old carried out a shooting rampage in Thailand, resulting in nine deaths and over twenty injuries, marking the country's deadliest mass shooting in nearly four years. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pledged to strengthen gun control laws following the recent violence, noting that the nation currently lacks mental health screenings and permits gun ownership to individuals as young as 20.
Additionally, Thailand possesses the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia, with an estimated 15 guns per 100 residents, based on a 2017 Small Arms Survey estimate.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
