Channel 7 Reporter Shot Dead

[george]

Reporter shot dead in exercise

Accident in front of 1,000-strong crowd

PHITSANULOK: -- A military training exercise turned into tragedy yesterday when a reporter- cameraman for Channel 7 was shot dead in front of about 1,000 spectators as he was filming the event.

Sgt Thanarat Saengthien, 45, a soldier who also works for the television station's Phitsanulok office, was shot in the head and died at Phutthashinarat Hospital in the provincial town, according to Pol Lt-Col Rakchart Reamcharoen, an investigator.

The death shocked people who attended the two-day training at the military airport in the northern province. Among the guests were Gen Saprang Kallayanamitr, army chief of the Region 3, and transport permanent secretary Wanchai Sarathulthat.

The two-day exercise, which ended yesterday, was open to the public to show the capability of soldiers in search-and-rescue operations and their shooting skills. The tragedy occurred when soldiers aimed their M-16 rifles at the spectators and after they pulled the trigger, Sgt Thanarat collapsed to the ground.

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

[chuchok]

The tragedy occurred when soldiers aimed their M-16 rifles at the spectators and after they pulled the trigger, Sgt Thanarat collapsed to the ground.

[terdsak_12]

Beggers belief!!!!

[Maejo Man]

Utterly speechless

[Maigo6]

Tragic Accident it would appear.

Kinda like that DEA agent in America who shot himself in the foot in front of a class of Children.

[richard10365]

Reporter shot dead in exercise

The tragedy occurred when soldiers aimed their M-16 rifles at the spectators and after they pulled the trigger,...........

--Bangkok Post 2006-04-30

Didn't they do a safety brief and risk assessment before the event? I don't understand how it can be approved to be able to aim their rifles at the spectators.

I feel sorry for his family. It's such a needless tragedy.

Edited April 30, 2006 by richard10365

[rono]

The tragedy occurred when soldiers aimed their M-16 rifles at the spectators and after they pulled the trigger,...........

Haven't they been thought never to aim at people unless you want to shoot them? How stupid can those soldiers and their superiors be? Unbelieveble, they aim a gun at the spectators.

[Tywais]

Didn't they do a safety brief and risk assessment before the event? I don't understand how it can be approved to be able to aim their rifles at the spectators.

I feel sorry for his family. It's such a needless tragedy.

When I was in the military they drilled you constantly that you NEVER point a weapon at anyone unless you plan on using it, but then TIT. Wonder if they were supposed to have blanks during that portion and someone screwed up? And yes, a sad thing to happen.

[ilyushin]

Sad news. Hope the RTA will take care of his family, but not with an M-16.

[Netfan]

A senseless tragedy. Studipity. And another item from Thailand in all the "weird news" sites around the world. (last one was Mr. T's "supernatural" rant). This is right up there with the officer who ordered the soldier (or policeman, i forget which) to re-enact opening the suspicious package for the media a few years ago. It blew up killing poor guy.

[Tarragona]

Wonder if they were supposed to have blanks during that portion and someone screwed up?

That is what happened apparently. The others fired blanks but one had a live bullet.

[Plus]

Does anyone remember Deputy Governor down South who was accidentally shot by his secutiry detail and died?

The "funny" thing that they couldn't find the shooter and the designated fall guy refused to admit guilt.

Who gives/sells guns to these people? Bows, spears, and machetes is all they deserve. On the second thought, take away the bows.

[george]

Army, police tight-lipped over shooting

PHITSANULOK: -- The Third Army Area Command yesterday stayed silent about the gun shot accident that killed a TV reporter during military training on Saturday while the police indicated no progress in their investigation.

Sergeant Thanarat Saeng-tein, a soldier at Somdej Phra Borom-trailokanart Military Camp who also worked for TV 7 in Phitsanulok, was accidentally shot dead at the military airport in Phitsanulok's Muang district. The exercise was intended to show the capability of soldiers in search-and-rescue aircraft and their shooting skills.

The show was open to the public and the bullet hit Thanarat when six soldiers were pointing their M-16s towards the crowd to show their shooting skills. Thanarat was filming the event for TV when the bullet hit him. Bullets also injured a six-year-old girl and an 11-year boy.

Police Lt-Colonel Dejprayoon Singdej, an inspector at Muang Phitsanulok police station, yesterday investigated the six soldiers but seemed to make no progress.

The police seized the six guns used and sent them to the Royal Thai Police's Scientific Crime Detection Division. The incident took place in front of Lt-General Saprang Kalaya-namitr, commander of the Third Army Area Command.

-- The Nation 2006-05-01

[Maigo6]

Who gives/sells guns to these people?

United States, that's who.

[Diablo Bob]

Yep the USA and Israel who has a sweetheart contract for the Uzi.

[chuchok]

The show was open to the public and the bullet hit Thanarat when six soldiers were pointing their M-16s towards the crowd to show their shooting skills. Thanarat was filming the event for TV when the bullet hit him. Bullets also injured a six-year-old girl and an 11-year boy.

It gets worse!

Watch out for the biggest cover up since Pavarotti orderded new bed linen.

[Chang_paarp]

No one has mentioned if Channel 7 used the exclusive footage in their news coverage. I could sugest several other channel 7 reporters that could have been better served by being there.

(Bugger wrong country )

[bquick]

It's an omen.

[thaibebop]

Who gives/sells guns to these people?

United States, that's who.

What the h3ll does that have to do with anything? Only fools point firearms into crowds of people and now you want to blame the US because we sold them the M-16. Pathetic. Why don't you blame the tigger man, or the dipsh1t CO who thought such a demonstration was a good idea?

[gharknes]

Didn't they do a safety brief and risk assessment before the event? I don't understand how it can be approved to be able to aim their rifles at the spectators.

I feel sorry for his family. It's such a needless tragedy.

When I was in the military they drilled you constantly that you NEVER point a weapon at anyone unless you plan on using it, but then TIT. Wonder if they were supposed to have blanks during that portion and someone screwed up? And yes, a sad thing to happen.

blanks ???? you shouldn't point an empty weapon, this is just unprofessional - period

I was always taught to consider a firearem loaded at all times.......better safe than sorry

I cannot even imagine what they where doing, did the camera man and the select few lucky spectators who where invited to take part have apples on their heads...................shooting skills ?

Edited May 1, 2006 by gharknes

[Johpa]

blanks ???? you shouldn't point an empty weapon, this is just unprofessional - period

I was always taught to consider a firearem loaded at all times.......better safe than sorry

Yep, I was taught the same thing in the military. If my ol' sergeant ever caught your rifle aiming anywhere other than up in the sky or down in the ground you were sure to end up losing some very precious sleep time.

This is just an amazing, a really unbelieveble example of gross negligence and ineptitude by any military standards.

[Phil B]

Who gives/sells guns to these people?

United States, that's who.

We dont give them away we sell them, and i am sure they had to follow the manditory 7 day waiting period. we may have sold it to them but we were not the ones that put it in the hands of idiots who can not follow the slimplest procedure of weapons safety. it sounds like all 6 involved had live ammo and not blanks. if they were using blanks there would have been a blank firing adapter on the weapon. whos bright idea was it to point weapons at the crowd and shoot? is this a front line unit that has seen action on the burmese border? i have worked with some of the thai marines and they were nothing but professional. it all boils down to training and leadership. poor training and bad leadership cause stupid things to happen.

it is sad that someone lost their life and two kids were hurt at no fault of their own except being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[Plus]

There isn't any follow up on the original story, however this idea - they wanted to scare the public by firing blanks at them, seems plausible.

Has any one seen Thai bomb defusion squad at work video?

It's a third world out there.

[AlexLah]

I have seen on TV the Thai police bringing in a package into their office.

They thought it contained a bomb so they tried to open it to make sure what was inside.

BOOM!!!!!

Two police officers died and several wounded.

TIT

Alex

[Smithson]

I have seen on TV the Thai police bringing in a package into their office.

They thought it contained a bomb so they tried to open it to make sure what was inside.

BOOM!!!!!

Two police officers died and several wounded.

TIT

Alex

I think I've seen the same thing, the CO for the area wanted to make a big show for the cameras and was pretending he knew what he was doing by peering into the package as the slowly opened it.

Have you seen the way Thais help each other reverse park?