Former Thai MP arrested after alleged shooting of local official

A former Thai MP has been arrested after allegedly shooting a local official near Bangkok, then calling a YouTube livestream to tell a political commentator what he had done.

Former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Reawraeng is accused of shooting Thongchai Yenprasert, a retired police colonel and president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), outside Thongchai’s office on the northern outskirts of the capital.

Thongchai was shot in the neck and later died in hospital. His driver was wounded in the arm and hand.

Chalong was subsequently arrested, but police allowed him to hold a press conference at a police station. While smoking a cigarette, he spoke to reporters for more than six minutes and gave a detailed account of the incident.

Police said the unusual arrangement was intended to allow Chalong to apologise to the victim’s family. However, once he was placed behind a microphone, he described what had happened and attempted to explain his actions.

Chalong said Thongchai had been “angry” with him, although he did not explain the reason for the alleged dispute. He also said he had not intended to shoot Thongchai, whom he described as a “good friend”.

According to local media reports, the two men had been involved in a personal disagreement. Chalong said he had approached Thongchai because he wanted to speak to him.

“He [Thongchai] then pushed me, saying ‘I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk.'”

Chalong said he followed Thongchai towards his car after the exchange.

“When I pulled the gun out, I didn’t intend to shoot him. But then [Thongchai’s driver] pulled his gun out and pointed it at me, so I fired.”

The shooting was also discussed during a YouTube livestream hosted by political commentator Anchalee Paireerak. Chalong called her while she was broadcasting and allegedly confessed to the incident.

Video viewed by the BBC showed Anchalee answering the call in the middle of her programme.

“I’ll call you back… Oh, something big [happened]? Go ahead, what’s that?” she said.

Viewers could not hear the caller’s words, but Anchalee’s reaction appeared to show that she had been shocked by what she was told.

“Did he die? Did he die? You shot him in the head? You need to wait there for the cops,” she said. “Don’t go anywhere.”

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul criticised the way Chalong was treated by police. Chalong is a former member of Anutin’s party.

“The wrongdoer didn’t have to wear the handcuffs, had a press conference and acted like it was a normal situation… this is not right.”

“No matter who he is, he is now a murderer,” Anutin said, adding that authorities would pursue “full legal action” against Chalong.

The governor of Nonthaburi province denied that Chalong had been given special privileges. He said the former lawmaker had been permitted to smoke while speaking to reporters because he was under stress and his hands were shaking.

The shooting happened three days after a 14-year-old boy killed eight people at his home and school before taking his own life. That attack was Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022, although authorities say the two incidents are not connected.

The latest case is expected to intensify debate over gun control in Thailand, which has the highest rate of gun ownership in South East Asia by a wide margin.

Following Friday’s school shooting, Anutin ordered tougher enforcement of existing firearms legislation. Police were instructed to establish checkpoints as part of a wider crackdown.

Proposed measures also include tighter controls on the possession, carrying and use of guns.