Thailands Gun Violence Crisis Claims Another Victim as Country Struggles to Cope

Thailand's gun violence problem continues to raise concerns after a 71-year-old former politician opened fire on his friend, killing him in a shocking incident.

The shooting occurred just three days after a 14-year-old opened fire at his school, killing eight people before shooting himself. The two incidents highlight the country's troubled relationship with guns.

Chalong Riewrang, who was discussing a large sum of money he claimed to be owed, pulled out a gun and fired four shots through the window of Thongchai's car, hitting him and his driver. Thongchai later died from his wounds.

Riewrang then left the scene and called a journalist on the phone, who was live on air at the time, to report what had happened.

After being intercepted However, he claimed that the driver also pulled out a gun, which led him to open fire.

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The police found two guns in the car, but said they were not in a state where they could have been fired.

Thailand has struggled with gun violence in recent years. In 2023 alone, an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 people lost their lives to gun-related incidents. This number is significantly higher than in other countries with similar populations.

Gun violence in Thailand often occurs during domestic disputes or financial disagreements. It's also common for guns to be used in robberies or hired out as a service.

The Thai police do not keep an official tally of gun deaths, but the trend is clear: the country needs to address its troubled relationship with guns if it wants to reduce the number of fatalities.