Former MP arrested after fatal shooting in Bangkok

A former Thai MP opened fire outside a government building in Nonthaburi province on Wednesday, killing an ex-police official in the second fatal shooting in the area within days. The attack happened near the provincial hall, where the gunman, identified as 60-year-old Veerapol Taweesin, reportedly fired multiple shots before fleeing. Police later arrested him at a nearby temple, where he had taken refuge. The victim was a retired officer who had previously worked in the province.

The violence follows a mass shooting on Saturday when a 14-year-old student fatally shot eight people, including his family members, in a village just outside Nonthaburi. That attack, one of the deadliest school shootings in Thailand’s history, has raised urgent questions about gun control and mental health services in the country. Authorities are now investigating possible links between the two incidents, though early reports suggest they are unrelated.

Veerapol, a former member of parliament from the now-dissolved Thai Rak Thai party, had reportedly been involved in a long-standing land dispute with the ex-police official. Witnesses said the shooting erupted during a heated argument outside the government office. Police seized several weapons from the suspect’s home, including a handgun used in the attack. The ex-police officer, who was unarmed, died at the scene. Three other people were injured, two critically.

Thailand already has strict gun laws, but enforcement is inconsistent, and illegal firearms remain widespread. The back-to-back shootings have shocked the nation and prompted calls for stronger measures. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has pledged to review gun ownership rules and improve mental health support. Meanwhile, residents in Nonthaburi are demanding better security after what is now the second major outbreak of gun violence in less than a week. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses as they piece together what led to Wednesday’s deadly confrontation.