WANG NAM KHIEO, THAILAND – An ex-military Paralympian from Thailand shocked his wedding reception by going on a shooting spree. The gunfire resulted in the death of his bride and three attendees before he fatally shot himself, according to local law enforcement.
29-year-old Chaturong Suksuk, a former soldier, married Kanchana Pachunthuek, 44, in the Wang Nam Khieo district located in northeastern Thailand last Saturday. During the celebratory occasion, the betrothed abruptly left the event to return shortly, armed with a 9mm firearm, shared the Bangkok Post.
Enraged, Suksuk gunned down his newlywed wife, her mother, Kingthong Klajo, 62, and her sister, Kornnipa Manato, 38. The open fire also claimed the life of a 50-year-old male guest and injured a 28-year-old man. The groom proceeded to take his own life post the act.
The police noted that Suksuk was intoxicated at the time of the horrifying event. Despite speculation regarding the incident, an immediate reason explaining the mass shooting remained unknown.
Eyewitnesses and attendees offered investigators insight into the couple’s dynamics, claiming they appeared unhappy and had a dispute during the wedding. Questions were raised about Suksuk’s insecurities related to the 15-year age gap with his wife. Before opting for matrimony, the couple had been living together for three years.
Prior to the incident, Suksuk had legally purchased the weapon and bullets used in the fatal shooting last year. As an ex-serviceman in Thailand’s paramilitary light infantry, Suksuk had lost his right leg in a train mishap. His athletic achievements included winning a silver medal in swimming at the Asean Para Games in Indonesia in 2021. Suksuk had been shortlisted to participate in the upcoming World Abilitysport Games in Thailand.