The mall shooting in Bangkok on Tuesday not only revealed a blank gun trade in Thailand that can be transformed into lethal weapons, but it also raised questions about how a shooting range allowed a 14-year-old shooter access to it.
The military spokesman announced on October 6, that a video clip circulating on the Internet showed the 14-year-old suspect training with firearms at a shooting range. It was noted that this shooting range was part of the facilities of the Territorial Defense Command.
This place was open to members who wanted to practice shooting sports and also offered training in the use of firearms to both military personnel and interested civilians. The rules of this shooting range allowed members to bring certified individuals to use the facilities, with strict adherence to the range’s regulations.
It was determined that the suspect was not a member of this shooting range. This led to the suspicion that someone else had brought him in. After reviewing the security camera footage from the last ten days, no images of the suspect were found.
The military spokesman said, “Currently, our unit is in contact with all the employees of the firing range to gather information about the suspect’s use of the facility. The military has provided useful information to assist the police in their ongoing investigation.”
The shooting at Siam Paragon on October 3 killed a Chinese tourist and a Myanmar worker, while five others were injured. One of the injured victims remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head.
The investigation also revealed that the 14-year-old suspect had fired up to 40 shots, 11 of which hit the deceased and the injured. The Thai government is working to address this situation by reviewing firearms control measures, both from a legal and enforcement perspective.
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