Police in Thailand’s Phetchaburi province confirmed this morning that the gunman, Anuwat Waenthong, was killed by gunfire after a 15-hour gun battle. The incident occurred on Soi 4 of the Krungphet Villa housing estate in the Ton Mamuang neighborhood, about 170 kilometers southwest of Bangkok.
Anuwat, 29, launched the attack at 1.30 p.m. with a Glock 19 handgun registered in his name. This incident occurred about a week after another armed standoff in Bangkok’s Sai Mai neighborhood, in which Pol Lt-Col Kittikarn fired several gunshots from his home. Kittikarn was eventually apprehended after a more than 24-hour police standoff.
In the case of Anuwat, approximately 100 special operations police officers were dispatched to his home in an attempt to persuade him to surrender. Despite their efforts, he continued to sporadically fire his gun. Police eventually brought his mother to the scene to try to reason with him, but he refused.
Police commandos stormed the house around 4 a.m., finding Anuwat still firing his gun. Commandos shot and killed him on the second floor of the house after a 15-hour standoff. An investigation revealed that Anuwat had previously purchased a large number of bullets from online stores.
Anuwat had previously been charged with coercion and physical assault and had to appear in court. Phasit Aim-Ost and Ratthakorn Thongkaew, both 21, and Siriphat Watthana, a 27-year-old motorcycle delivery driver, were his victims. Anuwat had also shot and injured several police officers, including Phetchaburi Police Lieutenant Sommai Yaemyeun and Krisda Sritha, as well as an unidentified person.
Governor Nathachai Nampoolsuksawat confirmed that the law provides compensation to the families of those who died. The police are still investigating what happened, and forensic officers have been called to the crime scene to collect evidence that can be used in court.
Thailand has one of the highest rates of gun ownership, and the country has seen a number of violent incidents in the last year. One of the deadliest attacks occurred in northeastern Nong Bua Lam Phu province, where 36 people were killed in a massacre, including 24 children.