Nong Bua Lamphu gunman surrenders amid hunger, exhaustion
The Thai gunman who murdered three people in the Isaan province of Nong Bua Lamphu surrendered to the police today, claiming exhaustion and hunger.
The 58 year old gunman, Samart, hid in the Na Klang district of Nong Bua Lamphu forest after he shot dead three victims in the Si Bun Rueng district yesterday, November 27. The three victims were Preecha Piamai, his daughter Wachinee Piamai, and Thavorn Waetthaisung.
Samart murdered Preecha and his daughter over a legal dispute related to 10,000 baht provided by the government. Thavorn was not involved in the financial dispute but previously clashed with Samart after witnessing him buying stolen electronic devices from criminals.
Samart initially contacted his wife and expressed his intention to murder another person named Lek before turning himself in. He revealed that he had a conflict with Lek but the details of the issue have not been reported.
Locals in the area witnessed Samart searching for food and drink. He was seen near a cornfield and later spotted collecting water at a monastery near the forest.
Police organised searches in small groups and brought in skilled officials to track down Samart.
Eventually, Samart contacted his wife, saying he wanted to surrender because he was very exhausted and hungry. He promised to drop all his weapons and urged the police to bring him food and drink.
Police agreed to the condition and asked him to leave the forest. Unfortunately, Samart was unable to walk out on his own due to a lack of energy and food. Officers arrested him from the forest at around 12.50pm.
The official legal punishment for Samart has not yet been disclosed.
UPDATE 2: Nong Bua Lamphu gunman hides in forest, declares intent to kill another
The Thai gunman who shot and killed three people in the Isaan province of Nong Bua Lamphu has been hiding in a forest since yesterday, November 27. He declared that he intended to kill another victim before surrendering to the police.
The 58 year old gunman, identified as Samart, fled from the Sui Bun Rueang district to the Na Klang district of Nong Bua Lamphu province after killing three people: Preecha Piamai, Preecha’s daughter, Wachinee Piamai, and a community security officer named Thavorn Waetthaisung.
Samart reportedly killed Preecha and Wachinee due to a legal conflict after Samart stole a 10,000-baht financial handout from Preecha. He allegedly killed Thavorn because he caught him buying stolen electrical devices from thieves. Thavorn seized the items and returned them to the residents, which angered Samart.
Samart fled from arrest on his motorcycle and travelled to a border district between Nong Bua Lamphu and Loei province. He reportedly requested food and drink from locals in the area before hiding in the forest.
Samart’s wife later informed the police that her husband contacted her. He told her that he wanted to “settle” an issue with a man named Lek before surrendering to the police.
Officers believe that Samart plans to kill Lek due to a past conflict. As a precaution, they have offered protection to Lek.
Aside from issuing a threat to Lek, Samart also took to his social media to share that he would kill his son and his daughter-in-law at their home. The threat prompted the couple and their children to relocate to another place for their safety.
Meanwhile, officers surrounded the forest and conducted overnight patrols to locate Samart but the suspect remains at large.
A police officer from the Metropolitan Police Bureau in Bangkok, Wanchaloern Phonpattana, who was on holiday with his family in the province, attended the operation as he has 10 years of experience in searching for missing persons in forests.
Samart is reportedly familiar with the forest, as he frequently visited it to forage for forest products, giving him an advantage in evading capture.
UPDATE 1: 10,000 baht digital wallet theft behind fatal shooting in Nong Bua Lamphu
The theft of a 10,000-baht financial handout under the digital wallet scheme is reportedly the motive behind a fatal shooting in the Isaan province of Nong Bua Lamphu today.
The Naresuan Rescue Association reported this morning that a mass shooting occurred in the Si Bun Rueang district. Three people lost their lives in the incident, while the gunman, 58 year old Samart, also known as Mang, fled the scene.
The incident left residents in shock, marking another tragedy in the area following the daycare centre massacre in October 2022, which claimed 38 lives, including the perpetrator.
According to Matichon, the shooting took place at two locations: a house in Ban Takian Thong and a roadside in the same area.
Channel 3 reported that Samart did not target the public but focused on three individuals following a dispute over financial aid from the government.
The deceased are identified as Preecha Piamai, his daughter Wachinee Piamai, and a community security officer named Thavorn Waetthaisung.
The conflict reportedly began when Samart stole Preecha’s debit card to withdraw the 10,000-baht financial aid from his bank account. When Preecha confronted him and demanded the money back, Samart denied the theft, prompting Preecha to file a police complaint at Si Bun Rueang Police Station.
Police scheduled a meeting between Samart and Preecha to resolve the matter at 10am today, November 27. However, Samart resorted to violence, killing Preecha and his daughter at their home before shooting Thavorn. It remains unclear how Thavorn was involved in the dispute.
Samart is still at large. Reports suggest he fled the scene on a motorcycle and is believed to have headed towards the Na Klang district of the province.
ORIGINAL STORY: BREAKING: 4 killed in Nong Bua Lamphu mass shooting, gunman on the run
Another mass shooting occurred in the Isaan province of Nong Bua Lamphu today, November 27, claiming four lives in the Si Bun Rueang district. The gunman is currently at large, reportedly fleeing the scene on a blue motocross motorcycle.
The official Facebook page of the Naresuan Rescue Association reported the shocking incident in the Ban Fai Hin community, located in the Non Mueang sub-district, Si Bun Rueang district, at approximately 8am Initially, three people were confirmed dead, with one person injured.
The gunman was identified as Samart or Mang, a 58 year old resident of the Ban Jod community. He was last seen leaving the scene on a blue motocross motorcycle. At the time of the shooting, Samart was wearing a dark blue shirt, a black jacket, and long trousers.
The rescue team also shared footage of the incident. It showed Samart approaching a man in a white T-shirt who was sweeping the road and immediately shooting him. Samart then calmly walked away from the body, placing the gun inside his trousers.
Rescuers confirmed that three victims died, although Matichon reported four fatalities. The exact number of victims has yet to be confirmed by official sources.
The gunman is reportedly a drug addict and is believed to have fled towards Na Klang district.
This tragic shooting echoes a previous incident in October last year, which also took place in Na Klang district. In that case, 38 people, including the gunman, lost their lives. Among the victims were young children from a daycare centre.
The perpetrator of last year’s shooting was a former police officer with a history of drug use. After the mass killing, he returned home, where he murdered his wife and child before taking his own life.
This latest incident is considered one of the deadliest mass shootings in Thai history, alongside the attack at Terminal 21 shopping mall in the Isaan province of Nakhon Ratchasima, also known as Korat in 2020.
