Former Thai Lawmaker Arrested for Allegedly Shooting Official

A former member of Thailand’s House of Representatives reportedly admitted to a media commentator that he attacked a local official near Bangkok. This call occurred shortly before authorities confirmed his arrest.

Chalong Reawraeng is accused of shooting Thongchai Yenprasert, an ex-police officer working in Nonthaburi province near the capital, on Monday. The attack reportedly targeted Yenprasert and his driver. Major General Dejrapee Kongdee, the provincial police chief, announced the suspect’s detention.

This incident follows closely on the heels of another tragic event where a teenager shot both grandparents and fired at a school in the same province. This separate event resulted in at least nine deaths, including the suspect’s, and reignited discussions about gun control in the country.

Local media and the BBC reported that Anchalee Paireerak, a journalist, received a phone call during a live YouTube broadcast. She appeared shocked, asking whether the caller had fatally shot someone. Paireerak instructed the caller to wait for law enforcement, advising, “Don’t go anywhere.”

Footage purportedly shows the attack happening outside a government building in Nonthaburi, though Newsweek has not independently verified this.

Updates will be provided as the story unfolds.