Crime
UPDATE: Thai army shooter shot his commander before going on Korat rampage

A confirmed 12 people have been shot dead, some social media are already reporting up to 20 may have been shot dead. Many more are injured after a Thai army soldier, identified as Sergeant Major Jakraphanth Thomma, went on a shooting rampage this afternoon in Korat, Nakhon Ratchasima. The mass shootings are said to have started around 5.30 this afternoon.
The gunman is alleged to have attacked and shot his commander, 48 year old Colonel Ananrote Krasae, and an elderly woman dead at a house, before stealing an HK assault rifle and ammunition, and fleeing from his army base in a Humvee, military-style 4-wheel drive. to the Terminal 21 shopping mall in the centre of the Korat city.
Police report that he then opened fire at a Buddhist temple, and then is said to have killed at least ten as he fired indiscriminately on his way, and then storming into the Terminal 21 shopping mall in the main city centre.
Nakhon Ratchasima is north east of Bangkok in the region called Isaan.
Thai media have posted video showing the armed man, dressed in full assault uniform, getting out of the vehicle at the Terminal 21 shopping mall, firing shots as people tried to flee the scene. More footage shows a fire outside the the front of the building.
The gunman kept a livestream running on his Facebook page of the entire incident. Facebook has since taken down the page at approximately 7.20pm, Thai time.
Authorities sealed off the area around the shopping centre as they continue to track down the suspect. He remains, as of the latest reports, holed up inside the building and is reported to have taken hostages. Police are warning people to stay away from the area.
One of his earlier posts and selfies had the text added… “It is time to get excited.”
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world but mass shootings have been rare. Several shootings at courthouses late last year, and a high-profile shooting by a crazed school headmaster last month in Lopburi, where seven people were shot – three dead – is also renewing concerns about gun violence in the Kingdom. There are weekly reports of gun violence in Thailand.
At this stage the Korat Army gunman remains at large.
SOURCES: BBC |Thai PBS World
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Thailand
Banned politician says government silencing him by invoking Lese Majeste law

A banned politician, who criticised the government’s Covid-19 vaccine plan, is claiming the government is silencing him (again) by invoking the Lese Majeste lawagainst him. The alleged defamation case concerns his questioning of using one of the king’s companies as part of the Covid-19 vaccine strategy that he says will slow down the process of inoculations.
Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit accused the government of PM Prayut of relying too much on Siam Bioscience to help in the vaccine plan, and pointed out that it is owned by the Crown Property Bureau, the organisation that manages billions of dollars in investment under the king’s personal control.
Siam Bioscience agreed to manufacture AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine and supply it domestically and across Southeast Asia. but Thanathorn says the deal “lacked transparency” and it was given an unfair advantage over other companies after the government ordered 61 million doses of the vaccine.
He says the government is slowing down the process by relying on just 1 company and points to other countries as they are already starting to inoculate residents. Both AstraZeneca and Siam Bioscience have not commented on his allegations, while the government has filed a complaint against Thanathorn citing the royal insult law under article 112 of the criminal code that can send law-breakers to prison for up to 15 years.
“The deals were not negotiated independently of each other. There was no selection process or comparison so questions must be raised.”
But a government spokeswoman, Ratchada Dhanadirek, maintains the filing of the criminal complaint was not politically motivated. Last year, Thanathorn was banned from politics for 10 years after a court dissolved his Future Forward Party for illegal loans, charges which were upheld by the Constitutional Court.
Meanwhile, others are criticising the government’s announcement to allow local municipalities to pay for vaccines as they say it coincides with upcoming elections. They point out that the government should pay for the vaccinations, especially in Bangkok, as they say the government has the funds to do so.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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Crime
Police search for man who allegedly stole 1.9 million baht worth of gold at gunpoint

Police are searching for a man who allegedly pulled out a gun and stole 119 gold necklaces worth more than 1.9 million baht from a Tesco Lotus gold shop in the Isaan province Nakhon Ratchasima’s Non Thai district.
The man allegedly pulled out a gun and yelled at the Yaowarat Krungthep gold shop staff to get down on the floor. He then allegedly climbed over the counter, opened the display cabinets and grabbed dozens of gold necklaces. Police say he then took off on a motorcycle.
Gold shop employees told police that the man was wearing a yellow hoodie, red pants and a purple face mask. An employee at the scene said the man held a gun and ordered him to lie on the ground.
“The robber then jumped over the display cabinets and grabbed several gold necklaces before fleeing on a motorcycle, which had no license plate.”
Police are investigating and reviewing surveillance camera footage. Officers also set up roadblocks.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Bangkok
Man arrested for allegedly importing millions of fake designer sunglasses

A 42 year old Chinese man was arrested for allegedly importing fake designer sunglasses after police raided 2 locations in Bangkok’s Thonburi area and seized 3 million pairs of fake designer sunglasses worth around 300 million baht.
Officers from the Department of Special Investigation raided multiple rooms at the Dao Khanong Condominium and the BMC Dao Khanong Cinema. The department posted photos of the raids showing rooms filled with boxes stacked to the ceiling.
Police say the sunglasses had major designer brand names like Ray Ban, Gucci, Oakley, Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Cartier, Mont Blanc, Marc Jacobs, Armani, Fendi and Versace.
SOURCE: Thai Visa
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