NE massacre: Shooter was a former Bangkok cop who possessed drugs three years before

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

The chief of the Royal Thai Police has revealed further details about the police sergeant who killed 38 people including 24 children at a pre-school center in Uthai Sawan, Nong Bua Lamphu, NE Thailand yesterday.

 

Pol Sgt Panya Khamrab shot himself following the gun and knife attack at the center not far from his house, reported Thai Rath.

 

At the scene of the shooting yesterday late afternoon Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat said that Panya started his police career at Yannawa in Bangkok in 2013.

 

He then went to another station before being assigned to his hometown at Na Wang.

 

The chief of police there in 2019 discovered that Panya was in possession of yaba (meth amphetamine mixed with caffeine) and he was prosecuted for possession. 

 

But it was not until January of this year that he was suspended and then sacked in June. 

 

He was still using drugs and was due to appear in court again today to hear a verdict.

 

He had probably had a paranoid attack including stress.

 

He used a privately owned and legally registered 9 mm gun.

 

Chief Damrongsak intimated that the police response to the incident was "quite long" and promised an overhaul as to how such incidents are dealt with in the future. 

 

The media pressed him on claims that one of the victims was killed because of a personal vendetta, a suggestion to which the chief was non-committal. 

 

He said that the victims were still in shock and that further investigations would take place.

 

He described how Panya has indiscriminately attacked victims on his way from the school to his home.

Samples of his blood are being tested to determine drug use and his house was being searched as part of the inquiry. 

 

ASEAN NOW notes that it appears to be up to three years after Panya's chief discovered his subordinate was a potential drug user before he was suspended, sacked and appeared in court.  

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2022-10-07

 

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[ThailandRyan]

So he was a known drug user who was still allowed to work and not fired in 2019.....sad.  Really tells you how things work here.  My condolences to the families of the little ones and those who list parents and family as well.

[JackGats]

I hope they're not going to say he was dealing in cannabis before or was under the influence of cannabis when he went on a rampage.

[webfact]

Police chief confirms assailant had history of drug use

 

 

The ex-policeman who killed at least 38 people, mostly young children, in a shooting spree in the northeastern province of Nong Bua Lam Phu on Thursday had a history of drug use, according to the national police chief.

 

Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas confirmed that the assailant responsible for Thailand’s worst mass shooting had been discharged on charges of drug abuse and was due to be sentenced by the court this morning for illegal possession of amphetamine.

 

Pol Sgt Panya Kamlarb had attended a court hearing earlier Thursday morning before he barged into a day-care center located in a local administration office in Naklang district to start a shooting spree that killed at least 38 people, mostly children with some as young as three years old and injured another 10.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/police-chief-confirms-assailant-had-history-of-drug-use/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-10-07

 

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[Walker88]

It's really immaterial what he was or what issues he dealt with. The plain and simple fact is that he took so many innocent lives and healing for the survivors is nigh on impossible. One cannot imagine the pain.

 

From time to time we are reminded in ways we would rather forget how much harm evil can do. I use evil as an all encompassing term, which includes both psychopathy as well as the mental issues that can lead someone to inflict such horror.

 

Just sad.

[mikebell]

RTP's race to claim the 'Worst in the World' title continues.

[seajae]

so the police allowed a known drug user to own an keep a gun, shows just how pathetic the thai police really are to do nothing about this demented scum. Once again we see the thai police not going out of their way and ignoring the fact this person was dangerous, they need to be held partially responsible for this happening, if they had done their job he would not have had the gun and would have been removed from the police years ago. When are we going to s a thai police force that actually does what they are paid to and not just try to enrich themselves while ignoring the law and their responsibilities

[scubascuba3]

Drug users are allowed guns here?

[Peterw42]

8 minutes ago, seajae said:

so the police allowed a known drug user to own an keep a gun, shows just how pathetic the thai police really are to do nothing about this demented scum. Once again we see the thai police not going out of their way and ignoring the fact this person was dangerous, they need to be held partially responsible for this happening, if they had done their job he would not have had the gun and would have been removed from the police years ago. When are we going to s a thai police force that actually does what they are paid to and not just try to enrich themselves while ignoring the law and their responsibilities

Since when do drug users get the guns taken away ? That doesn't happen anywhere in the world. As the OP states, he had a privately owned and licensed gun. There is no law that takes that away for drug use, or being sacked from the police.

Nobody ignored the fact that he was dangerous, up until committing this crime, he wasn't dangerous.

[bobbin]

34 minutes ago, JackGats said:

I hope they're not going to say he was dealing in cannabis before or was under the influence of cannabis when he went on a rampage.

Why would they say that? Everything reported has yaba all over it..

 

Do you have an agenda here? Trying to piggy-back on a national tragedy?

[Peterw42]

15 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Drug users are allowed guns here?

That is the case pretty much everywhere isnt it ? A drug conviction doesn't automatically remove the right to legally own a legal gun.

[scubascuba3]

1 minute ago, Peterw42 said:

That is the case pretty much everywhere isnt it ? A drug conviction doesn't automatically remove the right to legally own a legal gun.

well it should as should any mental illness

[Damrongsak]

38 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Drug users are allowed guns here?

 

20 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

That is the case pretty much everywhere isnt it ? A drug conviction doesn't automatically remove the right to legally own a legal gun.

In the U.S.:  Federal law makes it unlawful for certain individuals to possess firearms. These "prohibited persons" include those who have been convicted of any felony or a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Either type of conviction will typically result in a lifetime ban. (The law also prohibits those subject to most domestic violence restraining orders from having a gun while the order is in effect.)

 

This came about with the Gun Control Act of 1968.  Some states have additional laws.

 

 

[khunpa]

When I lived in Bangkok years ago I was once confronted by a VERY drunk policeman, while refilling my bike at a gas station.

 

The guy wanted me to give him THB 500 and got pretty <deleted> off when I refused. Him shouting at me, pushing me and wearing a gun was pretty scary, But luckily he claimed a bit down, when I offered him a cigaret. Once he was done smoking he drove off on his bike… back to fighting crime, I guess.

The whole thing was super surreal. Bystanders were mostly smiling and really did not know what to do, which was understandable in the situation.
 

In most other countries I am sure someone would have called the police who would have gotten this guy of the streets and out of the police force.
 

Here nobody really wanted to get involved, including myself… as doing the right thing can easily get you in trouble in Thailand. And that is exactly my point…
 

The guy behind this massacre was known to be dangerous, but nobody does anything because corruption is so widespread here and it’s common practice to just avoid conflicts… especially when police officers or other people of power are involved.

 

Thats why stuff like this will happen again and again here… 

 

 

[spidermike007]

It is actually quite shocking that he was fired for possession. He must have offended or stepped on some toes? Or perhaps he did not share the proceeds from dealing? The cops here are notoriously tolerant of their own. And many are drug dealers. 

[Mr Derek]

I wonder if the killer watched "Apocalypse Now" recently? Brando's "horror has a face" monologue (which he wrote himself) might be some inspiration to a deranged mind. 

[KhunBENQ]

19 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And many are drug dealers. 

And so was he (involved). "trafficking" says the translation.

Not just an "ordinary" yabba user.

And that a human with clear non-drugged mind could slaughter toddlers with a knife is unimaginable to me.

Why the hell couldn't he simply end his worthless existence alone!!

 

[khunpa]

2 minutes ago, KhunBENQ said:

And so was he (involved). "trafficking" says the translation.

Not just an "ordinary" yabba user.

And that a human with clear non-drugged mind could slaughter toddlers with a knife is unimaginable to me.

Why the hell couldn't he simply end his worthless existence alone!!

 

I am sure he had some sick twisted motive to kill the children. Nothing more dangerous than a drugged up Thai man-child with a lost face…

[Dogmatix]

Seems things could have been done better by TRTP to avert this.

 

They hired a known drug user, probably because of family connections or he bought his way in or both. 

 

The police were very proud of the huge project of importing Sig 365 9mm handguns to sell to cops at discounted but still very expensive price vs US MRSP, meaning lots and lots of profit as they buy at a big bulk discount to MSRP and pay no Thai taxes.  The police chief at the time allegedly massively enriched himself with this project, as did many interior officials.  The ex cop used one of these guns. It's fine for police to order guns but they should pay for them and issued them to cops as service firearms, not sell them for big profits. Then when cops leave or are fired they has to return them to the armourer. Also having a standardised weapon to train police on and have armourers maintain and order police spec ammo for would makes sense.

 

But the system of getting cops to buy expensive firearms to make profits for big shots starts them off on the corruption path. They borrow from senior officers' wives who are loan sharks to buy the guns and extort the public to repay the loan sharks who obviously must be repaid. 

[khunpa]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Drug users are allowed guns here?

I am sure being a drug user and owning a gun is not much of a problem here. Just don’t overstay your visa and you will be okay.

[4MyEgo]

I would really like to know if these cops go through a psychological evaluation process before being admitted into the force.

 

Discussing this with the wife this morning over coffee, and her reply was, are you serious darling, have you not learned anything living here in all this time, I said, what do you mean. She said you know what's his names son, the cop, I said yeh, she said, he failed all his subjects at school, how do you think he got to be a cop, I said how, she said his father bought his sons way in, i.e. he paid 300,000 baht to get him into the force.

 

Shocked, that said, I don't doubt a word she said, because they are family members. That is the sad reality of Thailand, corrupt as it gets, and who pays the price for this, young innocent children, suffice to say, I would really like to know how this deranged devil got into the force, that should be the first and foremost thing they should look at and then if found out to be as I suspect, heads should roll, but we know that wouldn't happen, because heads would be rolling all the way from the top.

 

Sad for the families who have to live with the loss of their little angels for the rest of their lives, why, because the system is flawed IMO.

[Mr Meeseeks]

2 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

Since when do drug users get the guns taken away ? That doesn't happen anywhere in the world. As the OP states, he had a privately owned and licensed gun. There is no law that takes that away for drug use, or being sacked from the police.

Nobody ignored the fact that he was dangerous, up until committing this crime, he wasn't dangerous.

Nonsense, he was well known to be dangerous before this incident. 

[Artisi]

20 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

I would really like to know if these cops go through a psychological evaluation process before being admitted into the force.

 

Discussing this with the wife this morning over coffee, and her reply was, are you serious darling, have you not learned anything living here in all this time, I said, what do you mean. She said you know what's his names son, the cop, I said yeh, she said, he failed all his subjects at school, how do you think he got to be a cop, I said how, she said his father bought his sons way in, i.e. he paid 300,000 baht to get him into the force.

 

Shocked, that said, I don't doubt a word she said, because they are family members. That is the sad reality of Thailand, corrupt as it gets, and who pays the price for this, young innocent children, suffice to say, I would really like to know how this deranged devil got into the force, that should be the first and foremost thing they should look at and then if found out to be as I suspect, heads should roll, but we know that wouldn't happen, because heads would be rolling all the way from the top.

 

Sad for the families who have to live with the loss of their little angels for the rest of their lives, why, because the system is flawed IMO.

Along with the majority of "systems" in Thailand - flawed, corrupt, inept - and that's a generous precise ..... 

[sammieuk1]

There are good cops bad cops and Thai cops this rancid organized cartel past and present needs dismantling along with gun ownership get a grip literally  ????

[Neeranam]

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

So he was a known drug user who was still allowed to work and not fired in 2019.....sad.  Really tells you how things work here.  My condolences to the families of the little ones and those who list parents and family as well.

He was fired. 

 

More Thai bashing. Police in many countries have drug/alcohol issues. 

[Aussie999]

10 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

He was fired. 

 

More Thai bashing. Police in many countries have drug/alcohol issues. 

Mate, go and READ the article... before accusing anyone of Thai bashing.... you simply bash those who post here.

[Neeranam]

4 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

Mate, go and READ the article... before accusing anyone of Thai bashing.... you simply bash those who post here.

I've met and worked with a General Assistant Commissioner, one of the highest police ranks, a few times about setting up a program for alcohol and drug abuse amongst his officers, which include Nong Bua Lamphu.  The police here take drug use very seriously, like most countries; people bashing Thailand here are out of order. 

[Aussie999]

2 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I've met and worked with a General Assistant Commissioner, one of the highest police ranks, a few times about setting up a program for alcohol and drug abuse amongst his officers, which include Nong Bua Lamphu.  The police here take drug use very seriously, like most countries; people bashing Thailand here are out of order. 

I don't care, who you worked for, what concerns me is you label everyone as Thai bashers, when you, yourself, do NOT understand the article.

[4MyEgo]

11 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

Mate, go and READ the article... before accusing anyone of Thai bashing.... you simply bash those who post here.

You summed him up beautifully, onya !

[bamnutsak]

The Police have a lot of questions to answer.

 

But they won't of course.

 

Will be portrayed as just another "bad apple" with "mental illness", who was allowed to hang around for three years.