Stray bullet may have hit 16-year-old, Thai police say

[webfact]

SHOOTING
Stray bullet may have hit 16-year-old, police say
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- A 16-year-old schoolgirl is believed to have been hit by a stray bullet while she was travelling in a car driven by her mother in Bangkok's Bang Chan area on Wednesday, police have said.

Police yesterday found a spent 9mm cartridge near Soi Suan Sayam 6 and checked security-camera footage in the area for clues, while forensic officers conducted a ballistics test on the actual car at the scene.

The bullet pieced the car's front window and hit the girl in the right shoulder as she sat in the front passenger seat.

Witnesses saw five youngsters in a pickup and a sedan stopped at the mouth of Soi Suan Sayam 6 moments before the attack.

They said a woman riding a motorcycle with a child passenger stopped and spoke to the group, before a gunshot was heard.

The shooter has been described as 165-170 centimetres tall with a tattoo on the left arm.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Stray-bullet-may-have-hit-16-year-old-police-say-30270494.html


-- The Nation 2015-10-09

[smedly]

ah well not to worry it was only a stray bullet......?

[robertthebruce]

Just watch any of that ''Thai Soap'' Dramas, Guns, beating up women, you name it , its on there..

Too many Guns in ''Thailand'' and people use them like a water pistol....

sad for the innocent girl...hopefully she will make a full recovery..

[lostinisaan]

The shooter has been described as 165-170 centimetres tall with a tattoo on the left arm

And he's lost two wisdom teeth in the age of 25 and he's always wearing boxer shorts. Anybody must have seen him before......

There's a shootout in Sisaket, at the city hall only two weeks ago. Too many weird people with guns in this country, who like to play "John Wayne."

Edited October 9, 2015 by lostinisaan

[PaPiPuPePo]

Firearms plus arrested development is a recipe for death and destruction.

[Kasset Tak]

It's too bad that Thais and Thailand has taken to the US version on how to carry and use guns.

Firearms related deaths per capita is about 2 times higher in US compared to Thailand (including the killings in the south of Thailand), comparing US-UK then that number turns to 40 times higher!

[cornishcarlos]

There are lots of "stray" things in Thailand that will <deleted> you up

[bbbbooboo]

Stupid IS what stupid DOES ?

[katana]

Looks like it was the police that fired the shot:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/861795-thai-police-admit-they-were-involved-in-a-shooting-in-which-a-schoolgirl-was-shot/

[Lite Beer]

POLICE
Teenage girl 'unintentionally' hit in shootout with dealers
The Nation

Police Lance Corporal Panonthorn Chaiyatham yesterday apologises to the mother of Anatta Songrat, who got hit

BANGKOK: -- Officer says he fired gun at drug dealers when car with girl passed by

THE BULLET which wounded a 16-year-old student while she travelled in a car driven by her mother in Bangkok this week is likely to have come from the gun of a policeman, as he and his team confronted drug dealers in Bangkok.

After media reports on Thursday about the shooting, Lance Corporal Panonthorn Chaiyatham confessed to his superior that he may have unintentionally shot Anatta Songrat.

Panonthorn and four colleagues had engaged drug dealers at Suan Siam Road when the car carrying the student passed, Maj-General Sanit Mahathavorn, commander of the Metropolitan Police, said.

Anatta was shot in the shoulder and admitted to a hospital nearby.

She is in a stable condition but the bullet has not yet been removed.

"Basically, we don't know exactly whether the bullet in the girl's body was shot from the policeman's gun. To be fair for all, we need to get it out and compare it with the pistol in question," Sanit said.

"If the bullet matches the gun, we would have to indict Panonthorn in accordance with the law."

Panonthorn said he regretted what happened and apologised to the student and her family.

He plans to visit the girl at hospital to show his good will.

"I needed to fire the gun to defend myself and protect the team at the scene as the drug gangsters fired their arms at us first," he told a press conference yesterday.

"If the bullet belongs to my gun, I will take responsibility."

Deputy national police chief General Pongsapat Pongcharoen said police would conduct an investigation so there was justice for all concerned parties.

"At this stage we know only that police officer Panonthorn fired his gun during the gunfire exchange with the gangsters but we don't know whose bullet hurt the student," he said.

Captain Wichakorn Bounsiri, of the counter-narcotics team in question, said Panonthorn fired to defend his team.

"Two of the drug dealers on a motorbike were set up to sell narcotics to police in a plot to arrest them. As we saw a man pull out a gun, I shouted to my men to take them and Panonthorn fired to cover our team," Wichakorn said at the press conference.

Anatta's mother thanked the National Police Office for taking responsibility. She said she was unsure whether to file a lawsuit against police.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Teenage-girl-unintentionally-hit-in-shootout-with--30270566.html

-- The Nation 2015-10-10

[canuckamuck]

The shooter has been described as 165-170 centimetres tall with a tattoo on the left arm.

Did they forget to say he was also wearing a brown police uniform. or was the first report just the mandatory knee jerk BS story that flows directly from officials the minute any story breaks.

[oneday]

+10 for him admitting to being the one who shot her.

-1000 for poor police training.

[slapout]

What is the status of the drug dealers who the police where exchanging bullets with? The police may want to consider replacing their handguns with shotguns loaded with number 6 shot.

expert marksmen not required (do not seem to have many anyway) not normally deadly at distence of 60 meter or more, Will have a much better chance of hitting target, and a hospital / doctor visit will be needed to pick pellets out of those hit, on purpose, or accidently and there is no question of who fired the round that connected.

Another advantage at 30 meter its hard to miss with a shotgun and it is, if not lethel, it will be crippling and even tough guys fear a 12 gauge pointed at their midsection. It sure makes a handgun look small and ineffective. The rounds loaded with buckshot are much more lethel and at longer distances so police are not really compromised by this weapon switch/ option.

[thaiturkey]

It's too bad that Thais and Thailand has taken to the US version on how to carry and use guns.

Firearms related deaths per capita is about 2 times higher in US compared to Thailand (including the killings in the south of Thailand), comparing US-UK then that number turns to 40 times higher!

THERE IS A VERY STRONG REASON FOR THIS!

Because the Thai Justice System is so lousy, most Thais avoid the Courts completely. The preferred system is called "San Tia",

which usually involves violence, or the threat of violence. When people cannot obtain justice in the Courts, they are forced to

take the law into their own hands.

[ronwparker]

They would say that!

[Strangebrew]

It's too bad that Thais and Thailand has taken to the US version on how to carry and use guns.

Firearms related deaths per capita is about 2 times higher in US compared to Thailand (including the killings in the south of Thailand), comparing US-UK then that number turns to 40 times higher!

The population of the US is well over a hundred times that of Thailand too But with that being said unsolved murders in Thailand is 10,000 times higher than US But the UK only have very few guns for sale But stabbings are way up there. And unsolved are also high Jack the ripper comes to mind Oh wait he was member of royal family right?

[Nemesis7]

glad atleast he admitted.

[dunroaming]

Strangebrew

Strange indeed.. Clearly the thoughts of a fan of the gun lobby. It is true that gun crime is relatively low in the UK compared to the US but then compared to the US just about every civilised country in the world has a lower gun crime rate. I have always considered that guns are the tools of cowards rather than the brave. You don't need guts to draw and fire a gun (as shown in all the mass shootings in the States) whereas to go toe to toe with someone who has or doesn't have a knife does. Easy to hide behind a gun but hey! whatever works for you. By the way Jack the Ripper was suspected of being a surgeon who had treated the Queen, so very far removed from being a member of the royal family. Also that theory was discounted at the time except they didn't mention it to the Hollywood film makers.

[speedtripler]

What is the status of the drug dealers who the police where exchanging bullets with? The police may want to consider replacing their handguns with shotguns loaded with number 6 shot.

expert marksmen not required (do not seem to have many anyway) not normally deadly at distence of 60 meter or more, Will have a much better chance of hitting target, and a hospital / doctor visit will be needed to pick pellets out of those hit, on purpose, or accidently and there is no question of who fired the round that connected.

Another advantage at 30 meter its hard to miss with a shotgun and it is, if not lethel, it will be crippling and even tough guys fear a 12 gauge pointed at their midsection. It sure makes a handgun look small and ineffective. The rounds loaded with buckshot are much more lethel and at longer distances so police are not really compromised by this weapon switch/ option.

Bigger guns for the rtp? - no thx

I'm already uncomfortable when they're drinking whisky in bars with handguns on the hip Still wearing uniform minus the shirt with the patchwork quilt on it ....