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Phuket bus shooter kills himself during stand-off with police

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PHUKET, Thailand – A former army conscript who opened fire while on a public bus in Phuket province on Friday morning shot himself dead after a stand-off that lasted five hours, police said.

Nawin Chuaikliang, 24, injured two passengers – a man and a woman. He had begun shooting shortly after the bus left Phuket’s bus terminal in Mueang district for Phatthalung province.

The bus driver told police that the gunman, who was seated in the middle of the bus, walked towards the rear and opened fire. He then returned to his seat and appeared unfazed by what had just happened, the driver said.

The bus stopped after the incident and its passengers rushed out of it. The injured were taken to hospital while Nawin remained on the bus as more than 30 armed police officers surrounded it.

Police said they did not know why Nawin fired his gun while on the bus. They escorted his aunt and grandmother to the scene in an attempt to persuade him to surrender.

When negotiations failed, officers fired tear gas into the vehicle to force him to come out.

However, at around 11am – five hours after he first opened fire – Nawin turned the pistol on himself and fired his last shot.

A letter he wrote by hand was later found in his pocket. It stated: “Don’t worry. I will have a new life and will leave my future to chance. I will not come home again.”

Nawin had been a conscript with the rank of private in the Third Infantry Battalion in the southern border province of Pattani.

He was discharged from military service in May 2022 after serving three years. He had served two years of compulsory service and an additional year voluntarily.

His family members said he was undergoing treatment for mental health problems. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

thailandPhuketSHOOTING - GUN CRIME