Thai police arrest two Cambodians for shooting at football match

A friendly football match in Khu Khot, Pathum Thani, transformed into a battlefield when gunfire erupted, sending more than 200 Cambodian players and spectators into a panicked frenzy.

Police Lieutenant General Jirasant Kaewsaeng-eak, Commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 1, revealed the details of the incident during a press conference. The perpetrators were identified as two Cambodian nationals, 20 year old Khum Sopeak, aka Duang, and Heng Hach in his twenties.

Their laundry list of charges includes possession of firearms and ammunition without a license, wielding firearms without authorisation in public spaces, and the ominous charge of attempting to end lives using explosives. To top it off, Duang faces an additional charge for jointly attempting this macabre act in a city, village, or community.

Khu Khot Police Station raised the alarm, fearing the duo might attempt a swift escape. Immigration Police were quick to respond, apprehending Duang at the Ban Laem permanent border crossing in Chanthaburi province as he tried to flee through a natural channel.

During the football match, unidentified men clad in football jerseys but not partaking in the game stormed the field brandishing two guns. Panic ensued as shots rang out, prompting the 200-strong crowd to scatter in terror. Swift as shadows, the assailants retreated to their motorcycles and sped away, reported KhaoSod English.

A startling twist emerged when investigators unveiled that the weapons used were, in fact, blank guns – a sinister purchase made online for a mere 4,000 baht. The police have begun investigations to search for any accomplices involved.

Thanat Thanasatitporn, the stadium manager, lodged a formal complaint seeking compensation for the havoc wreaked by the gunfire. Initial assessments reveal structural damage to the roof and steel beams, prompting urgent discussions with the police on fortifying measures against future incidents, particularly concerning firearms and other weaponry.

In related news, a shooting incident occurred at 7am today, December 13, leaving a 28 year old assistant to a Pattaya City news reporter critically injured with more than 40 bullet wounds to his face and head. The incident took place in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri. Read more about this story HERE.