At least six people were killed on Monday when a gunman opened fire at a market in Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, Thai police confirmed in a statement. The dead include the shooter, who is believed to have taken his own life after the attack.
Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, Charin Gopatta, said that police are investigating the gunman’s identity and possible motive. The five other victims were all security guards working at the market.
The shooting occurred in the Bang Sue district, at a market primarily dealing in agricultural produce. Local police official Sanong Saengmani clarified that no tourists were harmed in the incident. Tourism is a vital sector for Thailand’s economy, and officials are keen to reassure the public and international community amid concerns that such events could hurt investor and tourist confidence.
Video footage released by authorities shows a suspect wearing a white hat and carrying a backpack slung across his chest, walking through the market’s parking lot shortly before the shooting began.
Gun violence is not uncommon in Thailand, where firearms are widely owned and occasionally used in high-profile incidents. The country was rocked in October 2023 when a 14-year-old used a modified handgun to kill two people and injure five at a luxury mall in Bangkok. Just a year earlier, a former police officer killed 36 people, including 22 children, in a mass attack at a nursery in the country’s east.
Authorities continue to investigate the latest attack, seeking to uncover the shooter’s background and what led to the deadly violence.
Melissa Enoch
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