27-11-2023 (BANGKOK) A wedding celebration in a village in Wang Nam Khieo district, located in the northeastern Thai province of Nakhon Ratchasima, took a horrifying turn on November 25 when the groom opened fire, killing four people, including his bride, before taking his own life.
The groom, identified as Mr. Chaturong Suksuk, was a former representative of Thailand in swimming and shooting at the Paralympic Games, according to the Bangkok Post. The 29-year-old Mr. Chaturong had recently married Ms. Kanchana Pachunthuek on the morning of November 25. The couple had been living together for three years before deciding to formalize their union.
The wedding reception took place in the evening, but guests and family members noted that Mr. Chaturong appeared less joyful than expected. At some point during the celebration, he left the party momentarily and returned armed with a 9mm pistol. Tragically, he fired shots that claimed the lives of Ms. Kanchana, her mother, and her younger sister. Two guests were also struck by stray bullets and were rushed to the district hospital, but one of them succumbed to their injuries.
Authorities are currently investigating the motive behind this devastating act of violence. A preliminary probe suggests that the couple had an argument during the party, as reported by The Nation. Witnesses indicated that the groom’s insecurities, stemming from his fear that his disability would lead his wife to leave him for another man, triggered the altercation. Mr. Chaturong, a former paramilitary ranger, had lost his right leg in an accident while on duty. Despite his disability, he had achieved success in sports and won a silver medal at the 11th Asean Para Games in Indonesia in 2022, according to Khaosod newspaper.
This tragic incident occurred just days after Thai Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul signed an order to suspend the issuance of gun licenses for a year. The order was implemented in response to a recent surge in shootings in the Thai capital, aiming to curb gun violence across the country.
