The bizarre and shocking mass killing brings the number of security incidents in the last 6 weeks linked with Thai court buildings to 3 as urgent meetings of senior court officials took place on Tuesday as they scrambled to strengthen security at 275 locations through the kingdom associated with the court service.
Three people were killed today in front of the judge’s bench of the Chanthaburi Provincial Court minutes before a judge was to deliver a verdict in a criminal case believed to be part of a compounded legal dispute that began as a civil matter concerning land but which later saw criminal actions on both sides, including today’s case which is believed to have involved perjury.
However, before the judge even entered the court to deliver his verdict and judgement, a former 67-year-old senior policeman delivered rough justice of his own. This took place on Tuesday morning as the parties gathered before the court.
His victims included a number of prominent and respected lawyers as well as two of the plaintiffs who he gunned down before a court police officer shot him, causing fatal injuries.
The Thai Office of the Court of Justice is promising urgent new security measures and a full review of security in Thai courts after three people were killed and two wounded in the shooting which broke out at approximately 9.15 am on Tuesday at Chanthaburi Provincial Court to the east of Bangkok.
It is the third serious incidence of violence in the surroundings of a Thai court in the last six weeks.
Judge shot himself in public at Yala court
On Friday, October 4th a Thai judge in a weighty criminal case where he dismissed charges against 5 Muslim men including 3 charged with murder, got up after making an impassionate statement on the case before him, bowed before a portrait of the Thai King and proceeded to shoot himself with a pistol he withdrew from his pocket.
Fortunately, Judge Khanakorn Pianchana did not die from the 9mm gunshot that went straight through the left-hand side of the chest.
However, the incident shocked the country and the fallout from it is still being felt.
Armed escape from Pattaya Provincial Court
On Monday the 4th of November, three prisoners on remand and awaiting trial for serious drugs charges violently escaped from the holding cells of the Pattaya Provincial Court after being armed with a knife and a 9 mm handgun.
A court police officer was seriously injured when 39 American Bart Allen Helmus, his 31-year-old Thai wife Siripha Wisetrit and 41-year-old drug dealer Noi Thin Ninet made good their escape.
The trio was later recaptured although Mr Helmus is on life support and believed close to death with his wife being treated for internal bleeding at Crown Prince Hospital in Sa Kaeo province where the elaborate escape plot was halted by police just before the trio crossed the border into Cambodia.
The American Thai couple were injured when Mr Helmus attempted to execute a murder-suicide pact when eventually surrounded by police on Wednesday 6h November last.
Chanthaburi Provincial Court the latest and the most lethal with three people dead after gun attack
On Tuesday, the Secretary-General of the Court of Justice, Mr Surin Chonpatana revealed that following the latest incident, an online meeting of judges and senior officials of the court service met online and agreed to immediately tighten security at all Thai courts.
The top official also outlined a plan to deploy 300 court marshals next year to implement a new security standard at the 275 separate court facilities throughout the kingdom.
One of those killed was the perpetrator
At 2 pm on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Court of Justice confirmed the shooting at Chanthaburi Provincial Court. 3 people have now died as a result of the attack and two have been injured.
One of those killed was the perpetrator of the attack named as former policeman Major General Tharin Chantarathip.
67-year-old former senior police officer
The 67-year-old police officer had been embroiled in a long-running legal dispute which compounded itself into a series of criminal actions including charges of perjury.
He was a former police commander in Tak province in western Thailand.
The shooting took place early this morning before the judge and key officials had even sat.
It is understood that a verdict was to be delivered today on a criminal case, the latest in the ongoing legal saga.
The initial dispute centred on 3,800 rai of land in Chanthaburi valued at ฿300 million.
Heated discussion a prelude to execution
The policeman is reported to have become involved in a heated discussion on the matter before drawing out a .4 calibre automatic Glock pistol and shooting four people killing two instantly.
These included well-known lawyers Bancha Pramekhanaphon and his associate Rungsuk Sukrom.
Two plaintiffs shot and injured with Glock pistol
Two other parties were injured.
These individuals have been named as Wichai Udomthanaphat whose life was reported to be not in danger and Mrs Suphaphon Prameesanaporn who was reported as receiving treatment at Prapokklao Hospital in Chanthaburi.
This is where the 67-year-old former policeman and gunman later succumbed to his injuries while under arrest after he was shot by a police officer in the courtroom when he opened fire on the four unarmed parties.
Police carrying out a full investigation but certain the culprit is a former colleague of high rank
The shocking shooting occurred right in front of the raised judges bench with three leather high backed chairs.
This was being thoroughly examined this afternoon by police forensic teams who are investigating the killings although they are certain that their former, high ranking colleague was the culprit.
Office of the Court of Justice horrified
The Office of the Court Service is reported to be extremely concerned by today’s developments and are examining the facts surrounding the matter as security across Thailand’s court buildings is strengthened the Secretary-General of the Office of the Court of Justice Mr Surin held a one hour meeting with the President of the Supreme Court Mr Sai Ketwattanaphan.
Afterwards, he revealed that the Supreme Court leader was both uneasy and worried about the latest incident.
Thai Lawyers Council calls for improved security for their members who are in harm’s way
The President of the Lawyer’s Council in Thailand Lieutenant General Thawal Ruyaporn on Tuesday described the crime as one of the most serious encountered.
The council called for an improvement in security at Thai courts and is also pushing for more measures to allow lawyers to have access to firearms as by the nature of their work, they come into contact with malicious people and often have to hold large amounts of cash for clients.
Further reading:
American drug gangster escapes from custody in Pattaya with Thai wife in armed prison break
