Bangkok professor wanted for killing two colleagues shoots self as nation watches drama unfold

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Bangkok professor wanted for killing two colleagues shoots self as nation watches drama unfold

Image: Thairath

BANGKOK:-- A captivated nation watched on TV and online as the professor wanted for killing two colleagues was involved in a five hour stand off at a Saphan Kwai motel on Thursday.

Dr Wanchai Danaitamonut, 60, was holding a gun throughout as police brought in a whole host of relatives, a student and colleagues to plead with him to give himself up.

Finally he went to a more secluded area of the motel and a shot rang out at 6.43pm some five hours since the drama began. Medics rushed to help the doctor and he was taken to Paolo Hospital. He had shot himself in the right temple.

A pool of blood could clearly be seen by the body.

The story that gripped the nation began on Wednesday morning when a man walked into the lecture hall of Phranakorn Rajabhat University in Bang Khen, northern Bangkok. Lecturers Pichai Chaisongkram and Nattapol Chumworathayee, both 50, were both shot dead.

Police immediately hunted for Wanchai who escaped in his Nissan Almera. He was found around midday at the motel in Saphan Kwai when the standoff began. Friends, relatives and colleagues as well as police used megaphones to try to persuade Wanchai to give himself up but to no avail.

Some reports indicated that a suicide note had been found but police are yet to confirm this.

TV news suggested that the motive for the killings was allegations about Wanchai holding a fake degree that he denied.

UPDATE: 8:45pm- Thairath reports Dr Wanchai died shortly after being taken to hospital.

Source: Thairath Live

-- 2016-05-19

[kingalfred]

RIP? Hell no!

[Mook23]

Loser.

[taony]

Not sure its drama. Just one a-hole who finally did what we hoped he would. Too bad he didn't do it two days ago though.

[Bluespunk]

Loser.

Along with all those who watched the whole affair on television and online.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Bluespunk

[Artisi]

Interesting to see the professional negotiators hard at work, all surrounded by BIB with loud haulers, a couple of relations, a couple of students and of course the media, all doomed to failure from the outset - what a joke.

[thai3]

Look on the bright side, there are three jobs going begging, surely easy enough to prove the validity of a degree?

Edited May 19, 2016 by thai3

[Dodgydownunder]

A lesson to us all. It's not just the mafia types and lo-so's of this country that keep a loaded gun handy. Beware of making ANY Thai (man) lose face.

AND....to the media for broadcasting this incident live and all the ghouls who got a kick out of watching this unfold on Thai TV.............a disgusting example of Thainess!!

Edited May 19, 2016 by Dodgydownunder

[BigBadGeordie]

And.......Channel67 have announced that they hold the rights to this story. Which will be a plot for a forthcoming lakorn series and have warned that anyone reposting the video will be subject to legal action.

[Mook23]

At bluespunk: The americanisation of Thailand started decades ago. Idiotic soaps. Billboards everywhere. Brainless consumerism. Pickup trucks. Unhealty fastfood. Obese kids. Diabetes. Live broadcasting of real life drama. Dr Phil?? No hope for the human race.

Edited May 19, 2016 by Mook23

[OccamsRazor]

[taony]

What an idiot

[LannaGuy]

At bluespunk: The americanisation of Thailand started decades ago. Idiotic soaps. Billboards everywhere. Brainless consumerism. Pickup trucks. Unhealty fastfood. Obese kids. Diabetes. Live broadcasting of real life drama. Dr Phil?? No hope for the human race.

ah right but they skipped democracy right? freedom of speech? rule of law? a constitution? education? this thread is not about America bashing thanks it's about Thai 'face' and 'drama'

[Winniedapu]

Interesting to see the professional negotiators hard at work, all surrounded by BIB with loud haulers, a couple of relations, a couple of students and of course the media, all doomed to failure from the outset - what a joke.

Two civilians forward with loud-hailers at a range of about 2 metres away from the armed suspect. Given that he'd already killed 2 people with point-blank head-shots, I just cannot imagine which clown sent out 2 civilian women, with no kevlar, no headgear and armed only with a loud-hailer each, to negotiate witl a known killer. It truly does beggar belief, and even I, who already had an extremely dismal view of the Thai police, was shocked at their almost complete incompetence.

Every few seconds, the audience, including a few uniformed police, bravely standing in a position of relative safety well away from the two civilian women, would break into spontaneous applause - clapping hands for God's sake; presumably at something the civilians said.

From what I saw on the TV coverage, I cannot conceive of a more shambolic and unprofessional performance, it was embarrassing to watch, Keystone Cops would have been a significant improvement, it really was a complete shambles. My opinion.

The clean-up after the suicide was another complete melee. It was, from soup to nuts, a complete disgrace. If the government had any dignity at all, every police man involved would be unemployed tomorrow morning.

A truly disgraceful performance

Winnie

Edited May 19, 2016 by Winniedapu

[Nasrullah]

Loser.

That's a smart comment isn't it!!.......you know nothing about this man's life..........have another leo...

[Nasrullah]

Loser.

Along with all those who watched the whole affair on television and online.

and along with all those LOSERS who have failed repeatedly in western relationships and then set-up shop in thailand and refuse to accept the reality

of thailand.........NOTHING is real...........perceived love,acceptance etc etc!

[pattayahenry]

for me the double murder was an extended suicide. the allegations of a fake degree were probably true, he would have been dismissed in a few days, his face and his pension lost, no perspective. totally understandable. never make a thai lose face.

Edited May 19, 2016 by pattayahenry

[Nasrullah]

What an idiot

Jeez hey.......aren't you so intelligent.......YOU know nothing about him and make judgement on him.....

Look in the mirror pal!

[Bluespunk]

Loser.

Along with all those who watched the whole affair on television and online.

and along with all those LOSERS who have failed repeatedly in western relationships and then set-up shop in thailand and refuse to accept the reality

of thailand.........NOTHING is real...........perceived love,acceptance etc etc!

BS.

It has nothing to do with nationality when it comes to voyeurism of human misery.

Anyone no matter where they are from who watched the "stand off" is a loser.

It's like those <deleted> who slow down at a road accident, viewing human misery as entertainment.

It is a sick mind that is compelled to watch such things.

No matter where they are from or their relationship status.

[Nasrullah]

Loser.

Along with all those who watched the whole affair on television and online.

and along with all those LOSERS who have failed repeatedly in western relationships and then set-up shop in thailand and refuse to accept the reality

of thailand.........NOTHING is real...........perceived love,acceptance etc etc!

BS.

It has nothing to do with nationality when it comes to voyeurism of human misery.

Anyone no matter where they are from who watched the "stand off" is a loser.

It's like those <deleted> who slow down at a road accident, viewing human misery as entertainment.

It is a sick mind that is compelled to watch such things.

No matter where they are from or their relationship status.

c'mon..grow up......it called human nature....

ever heard of the saying.......'It's like watching a trainwreck...you can't look away'....again-part of human nature!

Why do we watch violent movies?.....Mmm..maybe because it's entertaining.....(and don't give me ...it's not real)

[webfact]

Lecturer dies after shooting himself



BANGKOK: -- The lecturer of Phra Nakhon Rajabhat University who shot dead his two colleagues on the campus on Wednesday committed suicide by shooting himself with the same pistol after more than five hours of standoff.

Dr Wanchai Danaitamonut was rushed to Paolo Memorial hospital by a waiting ambulance after he shot himself at a hotel in Sapan Kwai area where he had been hiding since the fatal shooting of his two colleagues on Wednesday. He was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival at the hospital.

Police, friends, relatives and students of the university tried desperately for more than five hours since 12.30 p.m. to talk Dr Wanchai into laying down his weapon and turning himself in to the police.

Dr Narongsak Boonyamarik, a close friend of the suspected killer, said that the police had tried their best to persuade Dr Wanchai to surrender but without success.

He said that during the lengthy negotiation Dr Wanchai was hesitant and was heard to have complaining “Unfair, can’t stand it.”

Dr Narongsak further said he received a text message sent from Dr Wanchai lamenting of the unfair treatment and threatening to kill himself.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/163987


-- Thai PBS 2016-05-20

[Bluespunk]

@Nasrullah

A: I'm fully grown.

B: I don't watch train wrecks either.

C: No it's not natural to want to do so. Human misery and pain are not entertainment.

D: violent films? Gratuitously violent ones where it's violence for its own sake are garbage and no better, I don't watch them.

E: Films and real life are not the same, the fact you cannot see that reflects the diseased idea that human misery and pain are entertainment.

Edited May 20, 2016 by Bluespunk

[coma]

Happening everyday things of this nature. Just another day in "paradise " really.

[monty1412]

What an idiot

Jeez hey.......aren't you so intelligent.......YOU know nothing about him and make judgement on him.....

Look in the mirror pal!

Nasrullah, why you getting touchy about people expressing an opinion on this guy. Dont know the reasons he went postal ( and not interested or relevant ) but he has killed two people who didn't deserve to be killed and presumably have family and friends..... Im not sure its a touch underdone to call the guy an idiot and loser when he causes needless death to two persons and suffering to many many others..... go look in the mirror you say... well I just did.. I saw someone who is sad for the loss of the two persons, sad for the loss and bereavement of their relatives and friends and sad that we have too endure this needless violence in any society today...... To tell someone that " you know nothing about him but make judgement".... let me ask you.. is there anything that could be known that would make a judgement on him any less..... suggest a little look in the mirror yourself might be in order ...... RIP to all three of them and condolences to their relatives and friends.....

Edited May 20, 2016 by monty1412

[maccastime]

Watched this also on thai TV.very poorly handled as you mention.two or three females standing far to close with megaphones??why?one female appeared to have a kevla jacket on.just what they were trying to do I am not sure.the elderly lady on the left may have been family not sure.but they could have easily been killed.where were the police?I did not see them.why was not a trained negotiater sent in.or was the lady on the right the negotiater?ever heard of tasers?could not believe how this was handled.I see now he had killed two persons earlier.so this could have been a whole lot worse.

[jacksam]

Interesting to see the professional negotiators hard at work, all surrounded by BIB with loud haulers, a couple of relations, a couple of students and of course the media, all doomed to failure from the outset - what a joke.

And what would you have done expert

[Bluespunk]

Interesting to see the professional negotiators hard at work, all surrounded by BIB with loud haulers, a couple of relations, a couple of students and of course the media, all doomed to failure from the outset - what a joke.

And what would you have done expert

Seriously? You think this was handled well?

[chicowoodduck]

At bluespunk: The americanisation of Thailand started decades ago. Idiotic soaps. Billboards everywhere. Brainless consumerism. Pickup trucks. Unhealty fastfood. Obese kids. Diabetes. Live broadcasting of real life drama. Dr Phil?? No hope for the human race.

And you forgot to mention global warming....??? And a host of other ills in the world all because of America? When you point a finger usually three are pointing right back at you.....?

[lvr181]

A lesson to us all. It's not just the mafia types and lo-so's of this country that keep a loaded gun handy. Beware of making ANY Thai (man) lose face.

AND....to the media for broadcasting this incident live and all the ghouls who got a kick out of watching this unfold on Thai TV.............a disgusting example of Thainess!!

Not really, happens throughout the world, unfortunately.

Thainess is that this is shown on TV and yet a naked boob shown has the "authorities" packing a s**t like it is the end of the world!

[affen02]

RIP to the two innocent people he killed and truly sorry for their families they left behind. The shooter what can be said, a totally stupid, cruel and cowardly way to get out of his "loosing face" situation, for himself and all other involved. For us farangs living here there is a warning in this episode, be careful who you pick an argument with, there are millions of guns out there more than we ever will know.