A 14-year-old boy who opened fire at Siam Paragon, a famous shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, was arrested on the 3rd (local time). A total of two people were killed and five were injured in this shooting.
According to AFP, the shooter stated during interrogation that he heard a voice saying, “Someone go and shoot people.”
Police Chief Tosak Sukhvimol explained that he had been admitted to a hospital and was receiving psychiatric treatment and was not taking medication. It was reported that the suspect was very confused during the investigation.
Video obtained at the scene showed the suspect being taken away wearing a black shirt, glasses, and a hat with an American flag design.
The principal of a nearby private school confirmed that the suspect was a student at the school and said, “We will cooperate with the authorities and investigators.” It is reported that the school’s tuition is approximately $4,000 (approximately 5.44 million won).
The dead from this shooting were two Chinese and Myanmar women, and five people were injured. All but one of the casualties were women.
Photos circulating on social media showed police grabbing a suspect lying on the ground and handcuffing him, while unconfirmed video showed mall visitors running outside after hearing gunshots. In addition, he was seen hiding inside a restaurant in a shopping mall.
![On the 3rd (local time), a shooting occurred at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, and shoppers are evacuating. Police said that a 14-year-old boy opened fire at the Siam Paragon shopping mall this afternoon, killing a Chinese and Myanmar woman and wounding five others. The arrested boy has been receiving psychiatric treatment and is known to have not taken the prescribed medication on this day. 2023.10.04. [방콕=AP/뉴시스]](https://dimg.donga.com/wps/NEWS/IMAGE/2023/10/04/121489787.2.jpg)
On the 3rd (local time), a shooting occurred at a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand, and shoppers are evacuating. Police said that a 14-year-old boy opened fire at the Siam Paragon shopping mall this afternoon, killing a Chinese and Myanmar woman and wounding five others. The arrested boy has been receiving psychiatric treatment and is known to have not taken the prescribed medication on this day. 2023.10.04. [방콕=AP/뉴시스]Prime Minister Theta Tawisin visited the scene of the shooting and comforted the injured hospitalized. He also revealed through X (formerly Twitter) that he spoke to the Chinese ambassador and expressed condolences. He added, “From now on, the Thai government will implement the highest safety measures to ensure the safety of all tourists.”
Thailand, which is rebuilding its tourism industry after the pandemic, is trying to attract more Chinese tourists, but the number of tourists is lower than expected due to safety concerns.
In Thailand, you can own a gun with a permit, and it has the highest gun ownership rate in Asia. Gun-related crimes are frequent, but mass shootings are rare.
This shooting occurred just days before the first anniversary of the attack on the orphanage that killed 36 people, including 24 children. The perpetrator at the time was a former police officer armed with a gun and a knife. In 2020, a former army officer went on a rampage at a shopping mall, killing 29 people and causing many injuries.
AFP commented, “This shopping mall shooting incident will raise new questions about Thailand’s gun regulations.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.