Chalong Reawraeng kills official, confesses on YouTube

A former Thai MP has been arrested after allegedly shooting dead a local official and then calling into a YouTube livestream to confess to the killing. Chalong Reawraeng, a former member of parliament for Nonthaburi province, told political commentator Anchalee Paireerak that he had shot Thongchai Yenprasert, a retired police colonel and president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, outside his office. Thongchai was hit in the neck and died in hospital, while his driver was also shot, sustaining injuries to his arm and hand.

The incident occurred amid rising concerns about gun violence in Thailand. Just three days earlier, a 14-year-old boy killed eight people in a mass shooting before taking his own life, marking Thailand’s worst mass shooting since 2022. While the two attacks are not linked, they have intensified public debate over the country’s loose gun control laws. Thailand has the highest rate of gun ownership in Southeast Asia, with firearms readily available despite strict legal restrictions.

Chalong later held a press conference at a police station, where he smoked a cigarette and provided his version of events. He claimed that Thongchai was “angry” at him but did not clarify why. Chalong said he had asked to speak with Thongchai, suggesting the two were involved in a personal dispute. According to his account, Thongchai pushed him away and refused to talk, leading Chalong to pull out his gun. He alleged that Thongchai’s driver then pulled a firearm, prompting him to fire in self-defense. Police have not yet confirmed this version of events.

The shooting follows Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s announcement of stricter gun control measures, including tighter enforcement of existing laws, checkpoints, and harsher penalties for illegal possession and use of firearms. With public outrage growing over gun violence, the government faces pressure to act. Whether these measures will be enough to curb Thailand’s gun culture remains to be seen.