Former Thai MP Accused of Killing Local Official

Published: 10 August 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

A former Thai lawmaker has allegedly shot dead a senior local official in Nonthaburi province before calling a political commentator during a YouTube livestream and apparently telling her what he had done, in a case that is likely to intensify debate over gun control in Thailand.

Former Nonthaburi MP Chalong Reawraeng is accused of shooting Thongchai Yenprasert, a former police official and president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, outside Thongchai’s office.

Thongchai was reportedly struck in the neck and later died in hospital. His driver was also wounded, suffering gunshot injuries to his arm and hand.

The incident has attracted particular attention because of what allegedly happened immediately afterwards. Chalong contacted political commentator Anchalee Paireerak while she was presenting a live programme on YouTube and appeared to confess to the shooting.

Footage of the livestream, seen by the BBC, shows Anchalee answering a telephone call in the middle of her programme. At first, viewers could not hear what the caller was saying, but the commentator’s reaction suggested she had been told something serious.

“Did he die? Did he die? You shot him in the head?” she was heard asking the caller.

She then instructed him to remain where he was and wait for police.

“Don’t go anywhere,” she told him.

The call has become a striking part of the investigation because it appears to show the alleged suspect discussing the incident almost immediately after it occurred. Police subsequently arrested Chalong.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, and the allegations against Chalong have not been established in court.

After his arrest, Chalong was allowed to speak to reporters at a police station. During the unusual press conference, he attempted to explain his version of events while smoking a cigarette.

He said that he had not intended to kill Thongchai and described the victim as a “good friend”. Chalong claimed the two men had been involved in a personal dispute and suggested that Thongchai had been angry with him.

According to Chalong’s account, he approached Thongchai because he wanted to speak with him. He said Thongchai refused to have a conversation and pushed him away.

“He [Thongchai] then pushed me, saying ‘I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk,'” Chalong told reporters.

Chalong said he subsequently followed Thongchai towards his vehicle.

He claimed that when he produced his firearm, he had no intention of firing. According to his account, the situation escalated after Thongchai’s driver allegedly drew another gun and pointed it towards him.

“When I pulled the gun out, I didn’t intend to shoot him. But then [Thongchai’s driver] pulled his gun out and pointed it at me, so I fired,” he said.

Investigators will now have to establish what happened during the confrontation, including who drew a firearm first, what caused the dispute and whether the shooting was planned or resulted from an escalating argument.

Thongchai, who had previously served as a police colonel, held a prominent position in local government as president of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organisation, commonly known as the PAO.

The position gives its holder significant responsibilities in local administration, making the killing particularly notable in a country where political and local government rivalries can sometimes become highly contentious.

Local media reports have suggested that the two men had a personal dispute, but authorities have not publicly established a definitive motive.

The shooting occurred at an especially sensitive moment for Thailand.

Just three days earlier, the country had been shaken by a separate shooting in which a 14-year-old boy killed eight people at his home and school before taking his own life. That attack, in Nonthaburi province, was described as one of Thailand’s worst mass shootings in years.

The two incidents are not believed to be connected.

Nevertheless, the latest killing is likely to intensify public discussion about the availability and regulation of firearms in Thailand.

Following the school shooting, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul ordered authorities to strengthen enforcement of existing gun laws. Police were instructed to establish checkpoints as part of a broader firearms crackdown.

The proposed measures include tighter controls over the possession, carrying and use of guns.

Thailand has one of the highest levels of civilian gun ownership in South-East Asia. The country’s history of gun-related violence has repeatedly prompted calls for stronger regulation, although enforcing existing restrictions remains a major challenge.

The two shootings occurring within days of each other have therefore placed renewed attention on the question of how firearms are obtained, stored and carried.

In the case involving Chalong, the alleged use of a firearm during a confrontation involving prominent local figures also raises questions about how people with access to weapons can become involved in potentially lethal disputes.

The circumstances of the latest case will depend heavily on forensic evidence, witness accounts and any available surveillance footage.

Police are also expected to examine the alleged telephone conversation with Anchalee, as well as the suspect’s actions before and after the shooting.

The livestream has already provided an unusual public record of the moments following the incident. Anchalee’s shocked reaction captured the apparent confession in real time, although viewers could not hear the full conversation.

Such footage can potentially assist investigators, but it must also be interpreted carefully. A person’s statements during an emotionally charged telephone call do not by themselves establish all the circumstances of a crime.

The authorities will need to determine whether Chalong’s explanation of self-defence is supported by evidence.

His statement that he did not intend to shoot Thongchai will also be examined against the physical evidence and testimony from the driver’s perspective.

The driver, who was injured in the incident, could become an important witness in establishing how the confrontation developed.

For the family and supporters of Thongchai, however, the investigation comes after a sudden and violent loss.

Thongchai’s death has removed a former senior police officer and sitting local government leader from the community he represented. The circumstances of his killing are likely to remain a major subject of public attention as investigators establish what led to the confrontation.

The case also illustrates how quickly an apparent personal dispute can become a public tragedy when firearms are involved.

Thailand has previously experienced shootings involving political figures, military personnel, former security officers and civilians. Each incident has contributed to a wider debate over gun ownership and the effectiveness of existing safeguards.

The government’s response to the recent school shooting suggests that firearms regulation is already becoming a political priority. The killing of a local official just days later could add further pressure for authorities to demonstrate that stricter enforcement is possible.

At the same time, the case highlights the distinction between introducing new regulations and ensuring that existing laws are effectively enforced.

For the moment, police face the more immediate task of establishing exactly what happened outside Thongchai’s office.

Chalong has been arrested and has publicly offered his account of the confrontation. Prosecutors and investigators will ultimately have to assess that account against evidence collected at the scene and testimony from witnesses.

The alleged confession on YouTube has made the case unusually visible, but the livestream is only one element of a much larger investigation.

As Thailand mourns yet another victim of gun violence, the shooting is likely to become part of a wider national conversation about firearms, personal disputes and the responsibilities surrounding gun ownership.

The central questions remain unresolved: what caused the confrontation, who initiated the escalation and whether the shooting could have been prevented.

Those answers will now rest with investigators and, ultimately, Thailand’s justice system.

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