Shooting Wounds Three Men................................

[libya 115]

SOURCE: Pattaya City News: March 24th 2008

Shooting Wounds Three Men.

Police from Banglamung station were called to a village in Takiender sub-district after being told of a shooting incident which had taken place in the early hours of Monday morning.

When police arrived they were told three people, one aged 27, one aged 25 and one youth aged 15, had been shot but had already been taken to hospital. Police then went to Banglamung hospital where they interviewed the three wounded men.

The victim’s said they had been riding in the area when they were followed by a pick-up truck with five men inside. The trio recognized the five as persons with whom they had previously had problems and when one of the pick-up’s passengers produced a gun they weren’t really surprised.

Although the three attempted to ride off into the darkness, the man with the gun proved to be quite a good shot and successfully wounded all three. Having established his and his friends’ macho credentials, the pick-up drove off into the night.

The victim’s have told the police the names of their assailants and the constabulary are hopeful of an early arrest.

[cali4995]

The one question I have is where do they get all these handguns? Every week it's teens

or gang fighting and it always seems to involve weapons? I've never seen a gun store

and I thought they were illegal so what is the actual law on this issue since everyone

but the law-abiding citizens seems to be in possession of weapons? I would appreciate

sincere responses. Already once, I was walking by a karaoke with shots fired outside.

It's easy to see how this is/has been going to begin spilling over into the tourist areas.

Edited March 24, 2008 by cali4995

[timekeeper]

The one question I have is where do they get all these handguns? Every week it's teens

or gang fighting and it always seems to involve weapons? I've never seen a gun store

and I thought they were illegal so what is the actual law on this issue since everyone

but the law-abiding citizens seems to be in possession of weapons? I would appreciate

sincere responses. Already once, I was walking by a karaoke with shots fired outside.

It's easy to see how this is/has been going to begin spilling over into the tourist areas.

i once asked my housekeeper the same question. she said they can be bought here easily and are usually smuggled in by migrant workers from Burma, Cambodia & Laos and sold here on arrival and the money used as settling in money until payday comes around.

she also said that guns are often rented out by gang bosses for a specific job and returned afterwards.

the price of the rental can be as little as 500baht and outright purchases depending on the quality of the weapon range from 2000-10,000 baht.

lifes cheap...........

[cali4995]

That kind of makes sense I guess? They do seem to be readily available? And it's often not

grown men we're talking about but literally teenagers racing around on their motorbikes

at night that have managed to pick up a gun and some ammo all the while high on yaba.

It used to be they fought with knives and swords, now it's guns and homemade grenades.

I don't want to keep blaming all the problems on the drugs but it does seem to be the root

cause of most of this. With the profit involved, it's like a cancer they just can't get rid of.

[libya 115]

The one question I have is where do they get all these handguns? Every week it's teens

or gang fighting and it always seems to involve weapons? I've never seen a gun store

and I thought they were illegal so what is the actual law on this issue since everyone

but the law-abiding citizens seems to be in possession of weapons? I would appreciate

sincere responses. Already once, I was walking by a karaoke with shots fired outside.

It's easy to see how this is/has been going to begin spilling over into the tourist areas.

I have an English mate who was offered a firearm, for cash, from a Pattaya Police Officer. No joke.