The shopping mall shooting suspect called 191 to identify himself to the police as the perpetrator and to tell them that he was in a furniture shop on the third floor of the mall, wearing a black jacket, tactical style trousers and a hat and that he is only 14, according to Pol Maj-Gen Panop Vorathanatchakul, commander of the Patrol and Special Operation Division, which operates the 191 emergency call centre.

He said that the vital message from the boy was then relayed, via the police radio networks, to the officers on the ground, adding that they were advised to talk the suspected shooter into laying down his weapons and surrendering to the police.

The 191 police commander also said that he had closely monitored the situation on another phone and was in contact with the officers on the ground, providing advice on the surrender procedure.

He thanked the Narai and Phan Fa police radio networks and the local police for their coordination during the surrender of the suspect and the ending of the incident without further loss of life.

He said that the officers involved will be honoured this afternoon at the Phan Fa radio centre.