Live confession: Ex‑MP says he shot a police official in Thai suburb
The shocking scene unfolded on August 10 when former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Riewrang allegedly shot former police officer and official Thongchai Yenprasert outside the officer’s office on the northern outskirts of Bangkok, killing him. Thongchai’s driver was also wounded.
Instead of fleeing, Chalong turned on his phone and dialed a well‑known political commentator’s YouTube livestream. During the call he tried to explain the incident, admitting he had “shot” the victim after a dispute, but also insisting he didn’t intend to kill him.
Police allowed the ex‑MP to hold a press conference inside the precinct. While smoking a cigarette, he spoke for over six minutes, trembling and loudly describing how the quarrel had escalated to an exchange of guns.
The act drew criticism from Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who demanded that Chalong receive a full legal penalty. Anutin highlighted the improbability that the suspect “didn’t have to wear handcuffs” yet was permitted to appear publicly.
The incident comes amid increasing calls for tighter gun‑control laws in Thailand—an island nation that now holds the continent’s highest gun‑ownership rate. Police will do more checkpoints and tighter regulation of firearms in hopes of curbing gun violence after several tragic shootings in recent weeks.
