Foreigner and 2 Thais, Randomly Shot by Pattaya Teenager

PATTAYA:--A teenager in Pattaya, Banglamung, fired his handgun randomly at some passerbys, this action injured innocent victims, the Police rushed to the scene.

PATTAYA – April 17, 2012 [PDN]; At 1830 Pol.Col. Thammanoon Mankong, Director of Pattaya Police Station, Chonburi, with Police Officers went to the scene of the incident, there were 3 victims, who had received gunshot wounds. The victims were taken too Pattaya Memorial Hospital. The scene of the crime was at a beer bar, at the top of Soi 8, Central Pattaya Beach Road, which is only 30 meters from the local Police Station and near the Tropicana Hotel, Pattaya Beach Road.

The information from the hospital regarding the victims was, there were 3 victims, one was a Foreign Male, Mr. Michael Golop, 66years of age and the other victims were 2 Thais, the first was Mr. A (Aliase) 17 years of age, who had received a gunshot wound to the middle of his back and Mr. Anont Kaeochit, 18 years of age.

Miss Thawarat Plookmor, 39 years of age, who is the Thai wife of Mr. Michael, stated that, while they were splashing water at the beer bar on the top of Soi 8, a teenager with a gun came in to the bar and randomly fired shots and said “ who hurt my friend?” then everyone tried to avoid him . She later discovered that her husband had been shot.

Full story:http://www.pattayada...ttaya-teenager/

--PATTAYA DAILY NEWS 2012-04-19

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Madness. Utter madness.

Bad luck for them. Count your blessings.

Perhaps the very definition of "loose cannon" = a drunk teenager with a gun.

I thought that Songran was over!!

1. doggle, what a nit wit
   

I have removed an inflammatory post and unfortunately a number of quoted replies to it, other posts have had the inflammatory text removed, sorry guys if your post was removed.

I thought that Songran was over!!

Sonkran finishes in Pattaya today at dark. Just so you know it is always this way.

one fact i find very scary is that this was on soi 8, literally right outside of police station, ie no fear at all, not to mention with the crack down of the crack downs, for some reason the number of shootings has increased

so in this news who shot it ? girl or boy or do we know the names ?

This holiday is an excuse for people to go wild which is my excuse to escape to anywhere outside the country.

so in this news who shot it ? girl or boy or do we know the names ?

"everybody tried to avoid HIM"

There ya go

pls people can do wrong write i am doing here news.... ALL OF YOU ARE PERFECT . never DO WRONG... pls

we are friend here.

Another crime in Pattaya. Sam old, same old

Hope they are all ok and the man is caught.

I heard possibly wrong but I am sure someone on Thai visa will know, that for a Thai national to own a gun they must have a minimum of 1 million THB in the bank. If this is the case how do so many young Thai's have them. In addition what is the penalty for having a gun without proper paperwork.

Am I jumping to conclusions (as a Westerner) but some Thais look at killing someone as a matter of fact-- no consequences or conscious of doing wrong????

A media survey of Nonviolence International revealed:

"Minimal restrictions in Thailand made ​​it possible to legally purchase some 4 million firearms registered until 2000. However, experts indicate that in fact nobody really knows how many guns, legally or illegally are in the country. "

However, one can assume that 12 years after the old statistics and the turmoil of the recent past, a lot more weapons are on the streets in the country. Especially when the numbers of registered weapons increased only between 2000 to 2002 by 158 983 !

http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/files/portal/spotlight/country/asia_pdf/asia-thailand-2005.pdf

Perhaps the very definition of "loose cannon" = a drunk teenager with a gun.

Yes, that would be an accurate definition. In this case, simply being a madman does not mean "drunk" simply because the scene of the crime was a bar. However, to guess that his insanity was amplified by some chemical boost is certainly not a stretch of imagination.

The only possible silver lining is that, unlike the US, an incident like this is shocking and rare. In the US, a report like this would be like, "Yawn, so what else is new?" Business as usual there, more than once a day.

I like your posting because it points to recognizing a problem, which, if nipped in the bud can prevent Thailand from mirroring gun crazy America. I am not sure how to do it, but a no brainier is to simply outlaw the sale of handguns now, amp up the penalty on being caught with one or selling one, and hope over time the numbers (reduced) work in our favor over time.

There is no accounting for the effect that alcohol + guns does to a teenage mind. I only know that even a "nice kid" can become a devil when combined. Years ago, the "nice kid" next door to me in the USA...really..seemed to be an average kid, went to a party with a 9mm he bought and got s***faced. He was showing off, being a "big man" ...got in a fight, and the other kids last words were, "you don't have the balls to pull the trigger." Wrong. The booze got a hold of him, and in a moment of insanity...he did.

So, yes..."Loose cannon" ........Definitely.

Edit+ Just looked at you name, "Miami Bob"...guess I am singing to the choir...you know what i am talking about it if you lived there. Just crazy, yes??

Edited April 19, 201214 yr by RichardinBKK

Hope they are all ok and the man is caught.

I heard possibly wrong but I am sure someone on Thai visa will know, that for a Thai national to own a gun they must have a minimum of 1 million THB in the bank. If this is the case how do so many young Thai's have them. In addition what is the penalty for having a gun without proper paperwork.

Anyone can buy a gun illegally. Same as buying drugs. Most criminals never get caught.

very sad for the victims - at the wrong place ,at the wrong time

It is not getting better in Pattaya, There is no fear of police anymore for the young population

the same problem all over the world, police has no control anymore over the young generation - Not all sure ..

drugs is the big big problem

take care and hope well soon for the victims

take a gun and shoot randomly! What a shame it happens here too! Best wishes to the wounded.

Edited April 19, 201214 yr by Rimmer

I was in Thailand in 1980, and came back here several years ago to retire. So i see the difference and changes.

Many postings share the same thread, "Why can't Thailand be more like us...the West?"

Well, now i see gun / gang violence, lack of respect for people, property and authority, drugs / alcohol abuse, and a recklessness that was not here before.

Be careful what you wish for, because news like this is something of a mirror...news that is normal in America, for example. As the new generation embraces "all things Western" this insanity is part of the package.

Yes, be careful what you wish for.

And that is why I am stopping in the house today, as I have for a few days now!

I thought that Songran was over!!

Sonkran finishes in Pattaya today at dark. Just so you know it is always this way.

And people ask me why I went to Singapore during Songkran.....

Perhaps the very definition of "loose cannon" = a drunk teenager with a gun.

Who said the kid was drunk...?

Another crime in Pattaya. Sam old, same old

If you want to avoid brainless crime like this, don't vacation at Pattaya or Puket. There are too many other laid-back places to visit in Thailand.

BTW, considering two young Thais were hit, and a total of 5 young Thais were involved in the shooting, this was probably not so "random". Although, unfortunate that Mr. Michael caught a stray round.

Condolences to the victims. Hope the BIB find the assailants.

Edited April 19, 201214 yr by connda

Pattaya is such a wonderful place...

Pattaya is such a wonderful place...

What makes it though, that people still wanna live there ?

Edited April 19, 201214 yr by MJCM

Pattaya is such a wonderful place...

What makes it though, that people still wanna live there ?

It's actually a great place to live with some serious downsides.

All big cities have crime. I don't recall the last time a random shooter hit a westerner like this incident. It is definitely NEWS. There is a good bit of gang related shooting in some areas, where innocent people could be at risk. Compared to Mexico though, it's a gated community.

Edited April 19, 201214 yr by Jingthing

Wow, the America bashers are out in force today over a thai shooting 3 people in Thailand. Wow!

I doubt if most of the posters know anymore than what they see in movies.