A police officer who allegedly shot and killed his teacher wife at a municipal kindergarten in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district yesterday surrendered to police this morning after being holed up in his home for almost 20 hours.
Pol Sub-Lt Tassapong Thongthach agreed to surrender at about 6:20am after his son, who travelled from the South, repeatedly tried to persuade him to come out and surrender, said Pol Col Sarawut Nutchanart, chief of Bang Lamung police station.
The officer, who appeared exhausted and under stress, emerged from the house without a firearm and told police where he had left the weapon inside the house.
Officers subsequently recovered the weapon.
The surrender ended a police operation that began after the shooting at the Nong Pla Lai Municipal Kindergarten in Bang Lamung district at around 11am yesterday.
Family members, acquaintances and police officers took part in negotiations with the officer, but their efforts initially failed.
The body of his wife, Pailin Thongthach, 48, was found in the school’s canteen.
The shooting sparked panic among pupils and school personnel. All 44 children at the facility were safe.
After the shooting, the suspect left the school in a vehicle and returned to his residence, where he locked himself inside as police surrounded the house.
Photos and video clips carried by Thai media showed scores of police officers surrounding the house, with armed special operations officers deployed in the area.
Police also cordoned off the area and evacuated nearby residents as they continued trying to persuade the suspect to surrender.
The police operation continued throughout the night, with relatives and acquaintances taking turns trying to persuade the officer to come out.
Shortly before the shooting, the suspect stopped at a fried-chicken stall near a police booth. The vendor told police that the officer said he would eat some chicken before going to do something, but left without eating.
The vendor said the officer’s behaviour appeared unusual, recalling that he had previously appeared stressed and had once cried while sitting at the stall.
After taking him into custody, police said they would proceed with the investigation and legal procedures.
