Police general kills two, dies in courtroom land case drama

A retired senior policeman has shot dead the plaintiff and his lawyer before being fatally shot by police in a Chanthaburi courtroom.

He wounded two other people accompanying the plaintiff.

67 year old police major general Thanin Chantratip was a defendant in a 10 year long civil lawsuit about land in Tha Mai district.

He was in court for a related criminal suit about false complaints and false testimony when the land case plaintiff arrived with his wife and two lawyers.

Thai media report that the two sides began arguing and Thanin drew his pistol and opened fire.

The plaintiff, who was once a lawyer for former PM Yingluck Shinawatra, died later in hospital. One of his lawyers died as well. His wife and another lawyer were wounded.

Thanin was shot by an on duty police officer and severely wounded. He later also died.

A spokesman for the court says the shooting happened before the judge had entered the courtroom, and that the two sides often argued at past hearings.

SOURCE: bangkokpost.com