A bridegroom in Thailand went on a rampage at his own wedding, shooting dead four people, including the bride, before taking his own life on Saturday. The gunman, identified by local police as Chaturong Suksuk, was a former soldier and paralympic athlete.
The shooting spree took place in the Wang Nam Khieo district of northeastern Thailand at 11:25 pm. A house in that area hosted the wedding celebration on Saturday, for Chaturong, 29, and Kanchana Pachunthuek, 44, but it ended in tragedy. Chaturong first shot his wife then her 62-year-old mother and 38-year-old sister. Also, stray bullets hit two guests, who were taken to hospital but one of them died.
Wedding Party Ends in Tragedy
Guests reportedly noticed that Chaturong, a former paramilitary ranger and Paralympic athlete, appeared displeased, a detail they later conveyed to investigators, according to the Bangkok Post.
Local media reported that during the wedding Chaturong suddenly got angry after a row with his bride "about insecurities over his disability."
He then angrily left the venue, went to his car, and reappeared with a 9mm pistol, unleashing gunfire that resulted in the deaths of the bride, her 62-year-old mother, Kingthong Klajorho, and her 38-year-old sister, Kornika Manator.
Stray bullets struck two other guests, resulting in the death of one, Thong Nonkhunthod, 50, and causing serious injuries to Bamrung Chaterarat, 28.
Chaturong, a Paralympic athlete who won a silver medal in swimming at the ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia last year, then put the gun in his mouth and took his own life.
When emergency crews arrived, bodies were scattered across the dance floor. Police reported recovering 11 bullets from the scene, and videos show several body bags arranged on the grass and pools of blood at the venue.
Rampage at His Own Wedding
While an exact motive is still under investigation, witnesses told local media that the argument started from Chaturong's insecurity about his disability. Guests reportedly said that Chaturong, who was reportedly "intoxicated at the time", became enraged due to his fear that his new wife might leave him for other men.
A neighbor, 70, said: "I heard the loud shots and thought they were just setting off firecrackers for the party.
"It was only in the morning that I learned what happened. I'm devastated. I've known the couple for a long time and I was like a mother to them."
Chaturong reportedly purchased the gun and ammunition illegally last year. According to the police, he was a former marine soldier employed at the Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri. Chaturong lost his right leg when he was run over by a train while on duty.
Chaturong was part of the Thai team of paralympic athletes that participated in the 11th Asean Para Games in Indonesia in 2022, winning a silver medal in swimming.
The couple had been living together for three years before deciding to marry, as reported by Thai media.
This tragic incident comes just days after Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin signed an order to stop issuing gun licenses for a year in an effort to address gun violence in the country.
The official had pledged to strengthen gun control measures in Thailand, a country with one of the highest rates of gun ownership and gun homicides in Asia. This commitment followed a disturbing incident in October, where a teenage gunman opened fire on shoppers at a Bangkok mall.
