9 year old boy shot dead while working in cornfield

A nine year old boy was shot dead while working in a cornfield in the north-central province of Phetchabun. The boy’s heartbroken mother revealed he was working to save up for a toy the family could not afford.

A funeral ceremony is being held for the nine year old boy, Chaiyakorn “Seven” Niamklai, at Huay Toom Sutthawas Temple, according to a report by Thairath. The family couldn’t afford the ceremony costs and had to borrow money from their neighbours.

Seven’s mother, 47 year old Thongpiam Niamclai, told the media that her family is poor. The woman said that she and her husband have had jobs in the past but often go long periods without any work.

Thongpiam said Seven wanted a remote-control car toy that cost about 300 baht but she couldn’t afford to buy it for him. Her son asked how long it would take to buy the toy car if he saved 20 baht a day. She informed her child that it would take about 20 days.

Thongpiam said her son went out into the paddy fields and rivers to find crabs which he sold. Then, on Friday, October 22, Seven found work in a cornfield, where he was paid 20 baht for harvesting a bag of corn.

Thongpiam was notified that her child has been killed after a ping-pong bomb he found exploded. The child’s body was sent to a hospital in Pitsanuloak for an autopsy, which revealed the boy had been shot dead by a spring gun and not a ping-pong bomb.

The investigating officer found the spring gun at the scene, which is generally used to trap and kill animals. The officer is still investigating the incident and questioning those who were at the scene to find out what happened.

The heartbroken mother appealed for donations so she can pay back the money she borrowed from her neighbours for the funeral. Those with any money to spare can contact Thongpiam’s relative at 095-578-8574.

According to Sections 43 and 45 of the National Park Act, anyone who set up a spring gun in the national park areas could face a penalty of imprisonment of up to five years, a fine of up to 500,000 baht, or both.