A former Thai lawmaker allegedly shot a local government official near Bangkok.
He then called a political commentator on YouTube to tell her what he had done.
Former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Reawraeng reportedly told livestream host Anchalee Paireerak that he had shot Thongchai Yenprasert outside his office.
Thongchai, a retired police colonel, was struck in the neck and later died in hospital. His driver was also wounded.
What happened next was even more unusual.
After his arrest, police allowed Chalong to address reporters at a station.
Instead of simply apologising, he spoke for more than six minutes about the shooting while smoking a cigarette.
Shooting Shocks Thailand
Chalong claimed he had wanted to talk to Thongchai, whom he described as a “good friend”, but said a confrontation followed.
He alleged that when the driver’s gun was pointed at him, he fired.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul condemned the treatment of the suspect, saying: “No matter who he is, he is now a murderer.”
The incident comes just days after a 14-year-old allegedly killed eight people in Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022.
The two cases are unrelated, but together they are likely to intensify calls for tougher gun controls.
With Thailand already having the highest gun-ownership rate in Southeast Asia by a wide margin.
The debate is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
