1-1-2024 (BANGKOK) The parents of the 14-year-old boy who went on a shooting rampage at the Siam Paragon mall in October have decided to allow the mental treatment institute where he was detained to continue treating their son. The Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection’s authority to detain the boy ended on Sunday, but the parents agreed to keep him in psychological treatment at the Galya Rajanagarindra Institute.
According to Siriprakai Worapreecha, the deputy director-general of the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection, the parents’ decision was motivated by the doctors’ conclusion that their son was mentally ill and in need of continued treatment. The goal of the treatment is to help the boy recover and prevent any harm to society.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) spokesperson, Prayut Pecharakhun, stated that the police could not submit their reviewed investigative report to public prosecutors by the Sunday evening deadline for the boy’s continued detention. The delay was due to prosecutors returning a summary of the investigation to the police, noting that it lacked a sufficiently clear mental health assessment of the teenager.
The shooting incident at Siam Paragon, a popular shopping complex, occurred on October 3, resulting in the deaths of one Thai citizen and two foreign nationals from China and Myanmar. Four others, including a Chinese tourist and a Lao worker, were injured in the attack. The police had initially pressed charges against the boy on November 3, despite not having received the mental health assessment from the Galya Rajanagarindra Institute.
After the assessment was released on November 21, it revealed that the suspect had difficulties understanding the charges, communicating effectively, and controlling his emotions. The assessment indicated the presence of a mental illness, raising questions about the handling of the case by the police.
