The Khon Kaen Provincial Police commander ordered an investigation into officers involved in the extrajudicial killing of a gunman following the fatal shooting of the chairman of the Provincial Administration Organisation (PAO).
The 49 year old gunman, Yutthaphon “Yuth” Morktaisai, shot dead the PAO chairman, 56 year old Vinai Maneerat, at the victim’s home in the Isaan province of Nakhon Phanom on December 1. Yuth fled the scene and hid in Khon Kaen, another province in the Isaan region.
Yuth’s white Honda City sedan ran out of battery, forcing him to abandon the vehicle and continue on foot along a road near Ban Saladin Huay Toey School in the Ubonrat district of Khon Kaen. He was armed with an AK-47 rifle, a .38 calibre pistol, and 500 rounds of ammunition.
Locals in the area alerted police to his whereabouts, prompting Yuth to escape into a nearby sugarcane plantation. Officers attempted to persuade Yuth to surrender and abandon his weapons but he refused. Yuth opened fire on the police with his AK-47, leading to officers fatally shooting him at the scene.
The killing sparked controversy on Thai social media, with some accusing the police of using excessive force, arguing that they should have negotiated and arrested the suspect instead of killing him.
In response, Khon Kaen Provincial Police Commander Anuwat Suwannaphum told ThaiRath that he had assigned Ubonrat Police Station to investigate the alleged excessive force.
Anuwat explained that the police made significant efforts to approach Yuth and convince him to surrender but he ignored their pleas and continued firing at them. Yuth reportedly called his family, stating that he would never surrender.
According to reports, Yuth aimed his AK-47 at officers, forcing them to shoot him in self-defence.
ThaiRath also reported that Yuth had a history of criminal behaviour, having been arrested in 2009 for fighting and obstructing police and again in 2019 on drug-related charges.
UPDATE 1: PAO chairman gunman found in Khon Kaen
The gunman who shot the chairman of the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) in Pho Sawan district, Nakhon Phanom Province was tracked down to Khon Kaen.
The victim, PAO Council Chairman 56 year old Winai Maneerat was critically injured and is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Nakhon Phanom Hospital. The shooting occurred in front of his residence at Ban Sai Kham, Pho Sawan subdistrict.
The gunman, 49 year old Yuttana fled the scene in a white Honda car with an unknown license plate but was located in Khon Kaen province today, December 2. The vehicle is believed to contain a long-barreled weapon used in the shooting of Winai.
In the latest development, police from Ubon Ratana Police Station, along with administrative officials, surrounded the suspect near the border of Khao Suan Kwang and Ubon Ratana districts. The suspect fled his vehicle and entered a sugarcane field behind Ban Huay Toey Sala Din school.
During the pursuit, Yuttana attempted to escape and took a local driving a three-wheeled taxi as a hostage. Negotiations were successful and the suspect eventually released the hostage, only to escape the sugarcane field.
Drones are currently deployed to track down Yutthana, reported KhaoSod.
ORIGINAL STORY: PAO council chairman critically injured in shooting
The Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO) council chairman has been targeted in a shooting right outside his home in Nakhon Phanom. The suspect, a well-known gunman, remains at large, prompting a police manhunt.
The victim, 56 year old Vinai Maneerat was shot outside his home in Ban Sai Kham, Phon Sawan district, Nakhon Phanom province, earlier yesterday, around 7.30am. His wife, 60 year old Sai Maneerat recounted that her husband was on the phone with her when he was shot, identifying the gunman as a man named Yuth.
Vinai was allegedly shot by Yuth, a neighbour, who had driven by in a white Honda City. Sai explained that her husband had no known conflicts with the suspect and was shot without warning while using his phone.
Vinai was reportedly conscious enough to inform his wife of the gunman’s identity before collapsing. The gunman fled the scene immediately after the attack.
The relationship between Vinai and Yuth was seemingly amicable, as they were neighbours only two houses apart. The sudden attack raised concerns about the motivations behind the shooting, as no prior disputes were known.
Sai expressed her fears that Yuth might return to harm other witnesses or neighbours, urging the police to capture him swiftly.
Vinai’s condition is critical, with doctors at Nakhon Phanom Hospital working to stabilise him. His son, 23 year old Chanchai Maneerat highlighted that the gunman used an AK-type rifle, firing from a close range of one to two metres. The bullet entered Vinai’s abdomen and exited through his back.
Medical staff are currently managing internal bleeding, with surgery planned if no complications arise.
Police Colonel Kurupong Kaewsaat, the head of Phon Sawan Police Station, confirmed that law enforcement is actively pursuing the suspect. Officers have collected evidence from the crime scene and are reviewing CCTV footage to trace the suspect’s route.
The investigation has identified the gunman as 49 year old Yutthana, a known criminal with a reputation for violence. Despite there being no apparent personal vendetta, Yutthana’s past behaviour suggests a propensity for reckless actions. A warrant for his arrest is requested with the Nakhon Phanom Court, reported KhaoSod.
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