A gunman was arrested on Monday after opening fire inside a local government office in Nonthaburi province, just outside Bangkok, as Thailand was still reeling from a deadly school shooting in the same province days earlier.
The latest shooting took place at the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation. According to officials, the suspect entered the government building and fired several shots at a senior local official. The official was seriously wounded and taken to hospital. Another person was also reported injured during the incident.
Police quickly responded to the scene and arrested the suspected shooter. Authorities have identified him as Chalong Riewrang, a former member of parliament. Investigators are now working to establish the exact circumstances and motive behind the attack.
The incident has caused fresh concern in Thailand because it happened only a few days after a deadly shooting at a school in Nonthaburi. The earlier attack, which took place on August 7, involved a teenage student and left several people dead and many others injured. The attacker subsequently died.
The two incidents have intensified concerns over gun violence and firearm access in Thailand. The country has relatively high civilian gun ownership compared with several other Asian nations, and authorities have faced repeated calls to strengthen gun-control measures following high-profile shootings.
Thailand's government had already been under pressure to improve public safety after the school attack. The latest incident at a government facility is likely to increase scrutiny of security arrangements at public buildings and other places where large numbers of people gather.
Police are continuing their investigation into the government-office shooting, including the suspect's background and possible reasons for targeting the local official. Officials are also expected to examine how the firearm was obtained and whether the suspect had any previous disputes or connections with the people involved.
The back-to-back incidents have shocked residents in Nonthaburi, a densely populated province immediately north-west of Bangkok. With the latest investigation still under way, authorities are expected to provide further details about the attack and the condition of those injured.
The shootings have once again put Thailand's long-running debate over firearms, public security and tighter gun regulations in the spotlight.
