This week, Wilaiwan Wongyu could only express how much she and her husband loved 2-year-old Panuwich and now look forward to being with him again in another life. Thailand’s Deputy National Police Chief General Wirachai Songmetra has described the gunman responsible for the tragedy as a ‘soulless shooter’ for his actions last Thursday night.
The mother of the 2-year-old Thai boy who was among 3 people shot dead by a deranged gold robber on Thursday in Lopburi has spoken of her heartbreak and guilt at not being able to protect her son. It comes as Thai police are confident of bringing the killer, whose identity they already know, to justice very shortly.
The mother of the 2-year-old toddler who was killed in what a senior policeman in Thailand has described as a ‘callous’ act on Thursday evening when a gold shop in Lopburi was robbed, has described her heartbreak at the loss of her son and a deep sense of guilt she feels at not being able to do more to protect him.
CCTV footage of the young mother and toddler walking hand in and in the department store just before the frantic robbery and subsequent footage of the woman cradling and comforting her dying child has deeply upset and touched people in Thailand this week. This extends even those working in the media and law enforcement who often become inured to such happenings.
Killer is a highly trained gunman
2-year-old Panuwich was killed almost as an afterthought by what police now believe to be a highly trained gunman after he had already killed 31-year-old sales assistant Thidarat Thongthip and 33-year-old security guard Teerachat Nimma as they stood in his way in what was a horrific raid in which the killer only escaped with ฿500,000 worth of gold shortly before 9 pm on Thursday. This was in exchange for taking three young lives and seriously wounding four others, a hefty price.
฿500,000 reward for the capture of the monster but police already know his identity and have fingerprints
Police have already offered a ฿500,000 reward for the apprehension of the killer. They have also revealed that their investigations have led them to positively identify the culprit together with fingerprint evidence and other detailed information which officers can not disclose right now.
Confident that justice will be served
Deputy Chief of Police in Thailand, General Wirachai Songmetta, suggested this week that police were confident of capturing the man with assistance from the public. ‘The incident was ruthless and callous. The robber shot innocent people including a young boy,’ he told the media on Saturday.
Mother’s heartbreak shared by the Thai public
Meanwhile, Wilaiwan Wongyu, the mother of the little boy killed whose plight as she cradled her little man and comforted him in his last moments, has captured the hearts of the Thai public, has said that she can only now wish to be with her son again in the next life. ‘My husband and I love him so much that we can only hope we can be a happy family again in our next lives,’ she told the media at the end of the week.
Pitiful footage as mother comforted dying son
Wilaiwan Wongyu was seen on CCTV holding her two-year-old son’s hand moments before the crazed gunman opened fire and killed the little boy having first of cut down a security guard and a young woman. Afterwards, she cried inconsolably as 2-year-old Panuwich lay dying in her arms after being shot by the balaclava-clad killer.
‘My husband and I love him so much that we can only hope we can be a happy family again in our next lives,’ Ms Wilaiwan told the media as she tried to make some sense of what happened.
She recalled that one moment her son was there with her and the next, he was gone.
Expensive and advanced gun used by the shooter
‘The provincial police have already gathered a lot of evidence and information that will be useful,’ Deputy Chief of Police Wircahai was reported as saying on Saturday.
Thai police believe the man they are looking for is a well-trained shooter who used a highly advanced and expensive gun to carry out the outrage at the Robinson Shopping Centre in Lopburi.
They have identified the gun as CZ P-01 model tactical 9mm pistol fitted with a silencer and from studying the killer’s movements, actions and gestures they are convinced that the man has had tactical training using such weapons. He represents a formidable and deadly threat to the public and police officers.
Police believe their quarry is lying low in Lopburi
Police have revealed that they are confident that the killer is still lying low in Lopburi province and have suggested that an arrest in the case will be made soon.
Officers have also made it clear that the use of lethal force will be entirely justified in dealing with such a dangerous criminal if he attempts to resist arrest.
Further reading:
Party over for 45 year old composed armed robber who took ฿4 million in Bangkok gold shop raid
Police near closing the ฿9 million gold robbery case in Khon Kaen as the last suspect returns
