- The incident happened at a wedding party in northeastern Thailand
Five people have been killed in a massacre at a wedding in Thailand after an ‘intoxicated’ groom shot his wife, mother-in-law and guests before killing himself.
The shooting happened around 11:25 p.m. at a house in the Wang Nam Khieo district in northeastern Thailand, where a wedding party was being held for Chaturong Suksuk, 29, and Kanchana Pachunthuek, 44.
During the wedding party, guests and relatives noticed that Chaturong, a former soldier and Paralympic athlete, looked dissatisfied, the Bangkok Post reported.
According to Thai media, the couple got into an argument during the party. Chaturong went to his car and returned with a gun, firing shots that killed the bride, her 62-year-old mother, Kingthong Klajorho, and her 38-year-old sister, Kornika Manator.
Stray bullets hit two of the guests, who were rushed to the district hospital and one of them died, Thai media said.
Bodies recovered from the scene of a wedding party shooting in northeastern Thailand
The wedding party was held for Chaturong Suksuk, 29 and Kanchana Pachunthuek, 44 (photo)
During the wedding party, guests and family members noticed that Chaturong, a former soldier and Paralympic athlete, looked disgruntled, according to reports. He went to his car and returned with a gun, firing shots that killed the bride, her 62-year-old mother and her 38-year-old sister.
Kanchana Pachantuek. According to Thai media, the couple had lived together for three years before they decided to get married
Chaturong then shot himself and died instantly. According to police, 11 bullets were recovered.
Police said Chaturong “was quite drunk at the time,” but the motive has yet to be determined.
He had legally purchased the gun and ammunition last year, she added.
Police said Chaturong was a former navy soldier who worked at Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri.
According to Thai media, he lost his right leg after being run over by a train while on duty.
Kanchana Pachantuek and Chaturong Suksuk on their wedding day
Chaturong Suksuk. Police said Chaturong was a former navy soldier who worked at Sattahip Naval Base in Chon Buri
Kanchana Pachunthuek. According to Thai media, the couple got into an argument during the party
Kanchana Pachantuek. Her 62-year-old mother, Kingthong Klajorho, and her 38-year-old sister, Kornika Manator, were also killed in the shooting
The scene after the shooting in Wang Nam Khieo District
Chaturong was part of the Thai team of Paralympic athletes that competed in the 11th Asean Para Games in Indonesia in 2022 and won a silver medal in swimming.
According to Thai media, the couple had lived together for three years before they decided to get married.
The incident came just days after a report that Thailand’s Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had signed an order to halt the issuance of gun permits for a year to curb gun violence.