UPDATE: Gunman holds two people hostage on Bangkok bus

UPDATE: The man who allegedly hit a bus conductor in the head with a gun and held two people hostage at gunpoint told police he was stressed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Coconuts Bangkok. The suspect, Pheeranat Saengchan, who is around 23 or 24 years old, also tested positive for drugs. He was charged with drug use and coercion using a weapon.

The original story…

A man on a Bangkok bus held the conductor and a passenger hostage last night. The gunman surrendered early this morning after a standoff that took hours to resolve with Lat Phrao police. The negotiations reportedly sped up when the man’s mother talked him into surrendering.

Police were notified at 9:30pm last night that Pheeranat Saengchan was holding the conductor and a passenger hostage at gunpoint.

Police dashed to the scene to find the public bus No 8 parked on the right-hand side of the Happy Land 1 Road. 3 people were visible on the bus.

The 30 year old bus conductor, Nuanphan Muangjeeb, says the gunman got on the bus at Victory Monument, but refused to exit the bus when it finished its service on Happy Land Road. He says Pheeranat then pulled out a gun and told the driver to head back to Victory Monument.

Somehow the driver, 39 year old Sayan Reugphichit, was able to get off of the bus, telling the gunman they needed to get a timesheet signed by an official. The conductor says the gunman then told her to shut the doors.

Police had the bus surrounded until 11 pm. At this time, Pheeranat disembarked and squatted on a footpath, while still holding the gun and refusing to surrender, police say.

Several hours later, at 1:55 am, police found Pheeranat’s mother and brought her to the scene. She managed to talk her son into surrendering.

“A preliminary investigation revealed that he robbed a convenience store in Bang Sue on July 7, using the same 11mm handgun, and escaped with 8,000 baht.”

Police add that they are investigating whether the man had ever participated in the anti-government rallies at Victory Monument.

The man’s identity was reported at 2:30 am. Thai media reports that Pheeranat has financial difficulties and had a temporary job, but is now unemployed.

SOURCES: Coconuts Bangkok |The Nation Thailand