Bangkok siege as gunman goes on rampage over lost lover
A boozed-up gunman brought terror to a Bangkok neighbourhood this morning, firing wildly into the sky and taking six terrified hostages, all in a crazed bid to find his missing girlfriend.
Panic gripped Soi Wat Lakhon Tham in the Ban Chang Lo subdistrict around 9.45am today, May 15, when the gunman, a 31 year old Thai man, Tae, went on a rampage with a loaded firearm, sending bullets flying and residents running for cover.
Officers from Bang Khun Non Police Station were first on the scene after reports of a man “shooting villagers” and behaving erratically. They quickly sealed off the area, only to discover that Tae had barricaded himself inside a house with six hostages.
The elite Arintharat police unit was swiftly called in to take control, with Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, racing to the scene to oversee the tense stand-off.
KhoaSod reported that Tae was drunk and emotionally unstable. He had turned up at the home looking for his girlfriend. But when she wasn’t there, he flew into a rage, reportedly firing at least six shots into the air and shouting incoherently as he stormed the property, said a neigbour.
“He was completely out of control. People were screaming and hiding. It was chaos.”
A police officer said Tae refused to engage in any meaningful negotiation and at one point fired back at officers, escalating the already volatile situation.
“He showed no intention of calming down or cooperating. We had no choice but to call in reinforcements and secure the area to protect civilians.”
With the road cordoned off and residents evacuated, negotiators worked around the clock to talk Tae down, urging him to surrender peacefully and release the terrified hostages.
As of press time, the stand-off remains ongoing, with armed officers maintaining a tight perimeter around the scene and talks continuing to de-escalate the crisis.
Locals are being told to avoid the area and remain indoors as the drama unfolds.
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