In the bustling heart of Bangkok, at an entrance point of the popular Siam Paragon shopping mall, you will undoubtedly notice the vigilant security personnel dutifully checking incoming visitors’ bags as they funnel in. This is following a recent incident that hit the headlines, stirring up an influx of queries and concerns from independent readers and media agencies alike. The Thai government, in response to these concerns, has committed to boosting security measures, aiming to reassure and rekindle the trust of international tourists who flock to Thailand for its rich cultural experiences and fine shopping scene.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, after finding himself in the centre of Chinese media inquiries, offered reassurances following the unfortunate Siam Paragon shooting episode which occurred on a Tuesday. The distressing event resulted in two foreign nationals, a Chinese and a person from Myanmar losing their lives. Five more people – one Chinese, a Laos citizen, and three Thai nationals were injured. The Prime Minister empathically responded, welcoming Chinese visitors and assuring that the country is driving efforts to enhance safety and security measures significantly to prevent such incidents in the future. He also spoke earnestly about tightening gun control measures, thereby limiting easy access to firearms.
The Prime Minister addressed the media queries while partaking in the 2nd Thailand Climate Action Conference (TCAC) at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Meanwhile, an update on the pertinent shooting incident and the financial assistance rendered to the victims was communicated by the Situation Command Centre (SCC) formed particularly to manage this incident. Deputy Foreign Minister Jakkapong Sangmanee, presiding over the briefing, pledged the government’s relentless pursuit of justice for those affected by the shooting.
Minister Jakkapong informed that the Foreign Affairs Ministry maintained close contact with the embassies of the affected citizens to expedite the necessary assistance for the victims’ families. The Prime Minister has extended his condolences to Beijing in a heartfelt letter concerning the incident, and plans to visit China later in the month to further reassure and strengthen the bilateral relationship.
The government, in its resolve to support the affected families, will present 1.2 million baht as compensation to each family of those killed in the incident. Further, the Siam Paragon shopping mall also pledged supplementary compensation of 5 million baht to each family. The victims who sustained injuries in the incident, upon their discharge from hospitals, will receive 50,000 baht from the government and another 300,000 baht by the shopping mall. Giffarine Skyline Unity Co, a Thai direct sales company, has graciously donated 1 million baht for use in compensation for the incident.
Following the incident, the offender was swiftly detained by the police. The 14-year-old boy now faces charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, illegal possession of guns and ammunition, and firing shots in a public place. Furthermore, the police successfully apprehended three men credited with supplying the teenager with the weapon and bullets. The boy’s distraught parents issued an apology letter expressing their profound regret and committed to cooperating fully with legal proceedings and any necessary mitigation efforts.
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