BANGKOK — An elderly man opened fire inside the famous Or Tor Gor Market in Bangkok’s Chatuchak district during the Monday afternoon holiday, killing six people including four security guards, one vendor, and himself. Two additional vendors were injured in the attack.
Initial speculation linked the incident to tensions from the ongoing Thai-Cambodia border conflict, particularly given the shooting occurred near a donation point for Thai-Cambodia border supplies. However, police investigations confirmed the attack stemmed from a personal dispute.
Police Lieutenant General Siam Boonsom, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, identified the gunman as Mr. Noi Praidaen, 60, from Nakhon Ratchasima province. The suspect forced a taxi driver at gunpoint to drive him to the market, telling the driver during the ride that he was armed and intended to shoot market security personnel.
The Attack Unfolds
Upon arriving at entrance gate 1 around 12:31 p.m., Noi immediately opened fire on three security guards standing at the entrance. He then pursued a fourth guard, Mr. Anan, who was stationed at a security booth, fatally shooting him as well. The gunman subsequently entered the market interior and shot a female vendor before turning the gun on himself at a bench near his wife’s shop stall.
Victims Identified
The deceased include: Mr. Anan Panchuern, 52, security guard, who was shot 6 times; Mr. Wicha Saengdee, 55, security guard; Mr. Preecha Chaiya, 44, security guard; Mr. Somsak Thetsathamya, 51, security guard; Ms. Janyanan Satayatanarot, 64, vendor; and Mr. Noi, 60, the perpetrator. Two female vendors sustained injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Motive Revealed
According to the gunman’s wife, the attack was motivated by a long-standing personal grievance against the security staff. The conflict originated from an incident in 2019-2020 when Noi’s beloved pickup truck was vandalized with scratches by unknown individuals. Despite filing complaints, no progress was made in identifying the perpetrators.
The wife described her husband as having a violent temper and being extremely protective of his 2023 four-door Isuzu pickup truck. She said he would regularly vent his frustrations about the incident when drinking, harboring accumulated resentment over the years.
“He couldn’t stand seeing the security guards’ faces. He was always angry about it,” she told investigators. The wife noted that her husband had shown no warning signs that morning, dropping her off at the market as usual before the attack.
Official Response
Lt. Gen. Siam emphasized that the incident was a personal conflict between the perpetrator and market security staff, not an act of terrorism as speculated on social media. Background checks revealed no drug-related history for the gunman, though he was known to have anger management issues.
The Metropolitan Police expressed condolences to all affected families and urged social media users to refrain from sharing images or videos of the incident, citing privacy violations and potential psychological trauma to victims’ relatives.
The weapon used was a 9mm CZ pistol, found at the scene alongside the gunman’s body.
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