Ex-military ranger opens fire in central Thailand, 2 dead 3 injured, standoff with police continues

A frenzied gunman who is an ex-military ranger opened fire in Phetchaburi province in lower central Thailand this afternoon, killing two people and injuring three more. Gunfire continues to erupt from the house where he is hiding in an ongoing standoff with police.

More than 40 young children have been evacuated from a nearby daycare centre.

Over 100 police officers have been deployed to the scene – a house in Soi 4, Krung Phet Villa Village, Ban Rai Kluai, Ton Mamuang subdistrict, Mueang district, Phetchaburi province, southwest of Bangkok.

Police were informed at 1.37pm that a gunman shot dead two people in the street in Soi 4 and injured three more people.

From inside his house, the gunman shot Kanoksak Mutthakarn, the Mayor of Ton Mamuang Subdistrict, injuring his cheek and ear. The mayor was taken to hospital for treatment.

At 3.40pm, police were able to retrieve the two bodies from the street and take an injured delivery driver to the hospital. The mayor and delivery driver’s injuries are not life-threatening, said police.

However, police have not yet been able to reach a third injured person due to “continuous gunfire” from the assailant, who police identified as 29 year old Anuwat.

Anuwat, an ex-military ranger, was set to attend court today to go on trial for his involvement in a drug case, police said.

The standoff continues.