Thai police hunt rifleman who was seen shooting at former Democrat MP Yugol

[webfact]

Chanthaburi police hunt rifleman



BANGKOK: -- Chanthaburi police are calling a meeting with all investigators to hunt down a rifleman who was seen shooting from a waited Toyota Vios sedan at the former Democrat MP Yugol Chanawatpanya yesterday with a rifle mounted with telescope.

The former Chanthaburi MP Kamol was hit on the cheek by a single shot and admitted to Khao Kitchakoot hospital and alter transferred to Phra Pokklao hospital in Chanthaburi town.

His condition is now declared out of danger but still has to remain in hospital.

Yugol was speaking to a group of residents in front of his brother’s farm machinery shop at about 3.30 p.m. Sunday.

As his brother Kamol arrived in car to meet him, two to three shots were heard and Yugol fell to the ground with blooding bleeding from his cheek.

Kamol rushed to help and bring his brother into the shop, for fear of more shots to be fired by the attacker. He drew out his pistol in bid to defend his injured brother and waited a moment when everything was cleared.

He then drove his brother to nearby Khao Kitchakoot district hospital.

Police said that since the shooting happened broad day light, the shooting was witnessed by a number of passers-by.

A witness told the police the gunman fired from a sedan parked on the other side of the road near the shop with a rifle mounted with telescope.

Police examined adjacent CCTV camera and found a black Toyota Vios parked near the place. It left after the shooting.

Witnesses also said that the car was seen parked near the shop a few hours before the shooting and after the shooting it has gone.

Khao Kitchakoot district police chief Pol Col Noppadol Suthiserm ordered a manhunt of the gunman today from evidence on the CCTV.

The police established personal and political conflicts as two possible motives for the shooting.

The former Democrat MP was also an active supporter of the anti-government protests and used to take part in the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s anti-government rallies in Bangkok.

He was a two-time Democrat MP for Chanthaburi. He did not run in the latest general election in February 2 when the Democrat party voted to boycott the election.

Yugol was hit by a single shot. Doctors said he is out of danger after a surgery to remove the bullet, a .22 longrifle rimfire cartridge.

(photo : https://www.facebook.com/yucolchan)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/chanthaburi-police-hunt-rifleman/


-- Thai PBS 2014-03-31

[WoopyDoo]

Red Shirts stepping up to the plate.

Expect a lot more of this.

[fstarbkk]

Looks like the anti government people are shooting at their own again, to get sympathy! But, seriously folks...

Not to get technical, but a .22 rifle is most suitable for hunting vermin and small game. Very odd choice for an assassination attempt, due to the tiny projectile. I'm pretty sure this was not a professional.

Wishing Khun Yugol a fast and full recovery!

[phantomfiddler]

Alas Woopydoo is most likely correct, as the redshirts appear to know only one sure method for advancement

[The Deerhunter]

Looks like the anti government people are shooting at their own again, to get sympathy! But, seriously folks...

Not to get technical, but a .22 rifle is most suitable for hunting vermin and small game. Very odd choice for an assassination attempt, due to the tiny projectile. I'm pretty sure this was not a professional.

Wishing Khun Yugol a fast and full recovery!

I've shot deer & seen deer shot with a .22LR rifle. It is not the ideal calibre for deer or human assasinations, but a couple of inches higher & maybe back and inch & he could well have been DOA at a the hospital. All sorts of big game including Lions (& even elephants according to rumour) have fallen to the lowly 22LR. It is all they are allowed to own in some Sth Pacific places 7 they hunt huge wild cattle with them there. There is a special poachers' technique for shooting big game with a.22LR. He's a lucky man. They tried for a kill & missed by only a fraction.

[JoeThePoster]

Yugol fell to the ground with blooding bleeding from his cheek.

Sounds very serious. Hope he's alright.

[fstarbkk]

Looks like the anti government people are shooting at their own again, to get sympathy! But, seriously folks...

Not to get technical, but a .22 rifle is most suitable for hunting vermin and small game. Very odd choice for an assassination attempt, due to the tiny projectile. I'm pretty sure this was not a professional.

Wishing Khun Yugol a fast and full recovery!

I've shot deer & seen deer shot with a .22LR rifle. It is not the ideal calibre for deer or human assasinations, but a couple of inches higher & maybe back and inch & he could well have been DOA at a the hospital. All sorts of big game including Lions (& even elephants according to rumour) have fallen to the lowly 22LR. It is all they are allowed to own in some Sth Pacific places 7 they hunt huge wild cattle with them there. There is a special poachers' technique for shooting big game with a.22LR. He's a lucky man. They tried for a kill & missed by only a fraction.

I never said it couldn't be done. But it is an odd choice in a country where almost any kind of weapon is accessible, if one is determined to get it. It couldn't be that hard to get a proper sniper rifle for someone who knows his way around. Anyway, this is not a thread on ballistics, so I'll just leave it at that. Edited March 31, 2014 by fstarbkk