Narathiwat: Kamolsak, a Prachachart Party MP from Narathiwat, recounted his near-death experience after being ambushed and shot at by gunmen in front of his house. Two of his supporters were seriously injured, but their condition is now stable.
According to Thai News Agency, a security camera in front of a house revealed the moment assailants opened fire on a black car belonging to Mr. Kamolsak Leewamae, 59, a Member of Parliament for the Prachachart Party, Constituency 5, Narathiwat Province. The footage shows a white pickup truck, believed to be the assailants' vehicle, overtaking Mr. Kamolsak's black car, then reversing and firing multiple shots at his vehicle before speeding away.
This incident occurred at 1:09 AM last night. An unknown number of assailants used a white four-door pickup truck of unknown make and license plate as their getaway vehicle. They used automatic weapons to ambush and shoot Mr. Kamolsak while he was returning from Hat Yai Airport in front of his residence in Bajoh Subdistrict, Bajoh District, Narathiwat Province. Two people were injured: Mr. Uchalam, 55, the driver, and Police Sergeant Harirak, 43, the police escort, both sustaining serious gunshot wounds to multiple parts of their bodies.
After the incident, villagers living nearby helped carry the two injured people to the hospital. Both are now in stable condition. Mr. Kamolsak, who was in the back seat, narrowly escaped the gunfire by ducking on the seat upon hearing the gunshots.
This morning, officers from the Narathiwat Provincial Police and forensic investigators examined the scene and found 27 M16 bullet casings on the road approximately 300 meters before the victim's residence. Based on the damage to the vehicle, it appears the perpetrators were positioned inside the passenger compartment, resulting in bullet trajectories at windshield level, thus avoiding fatalities among the three occupants. Officers collected evidence at the scene.
Mr. Kamolsak recounted the tense moments, saying that after returning from the House of Representatives meeting to elect the Prime Minister, he booked a ticket to arrive at Hat Yai Airport around 9 PM. He had his subordinates and driver pick him up. Upon reaching his residence, as he turned on the turn signal to pull into his driveway, he heard gunshots from an unknown direction. The driver was the first to be hit, and his aide was unconscious. As the car began to roll out of control, he ducked until he regained his composure, then called home for help. He insisted that he lived a normal life and didn't think he had any enemies. He always traveled with these two or three people and never imagined that his work would create enemies or conflicts that would lead to a death threat. He requested that the authorities investigate the cause of the incident.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong Kotrasakha, Commander of the Narathiwat Provincial Police, stated that police are currently gathering evidence at the scene. Initially, they found 5.56 mm bullet casings, which are being sent for forensic examination to determine if they are linked to other cases. The motive is still under investigation, pending further evidence collection. The assailants used a pickup truck to approach the right side of the vehicle and fired shots, injuring the driver and the police officers providing security.
Former House Speaker Wan Muhammad Nor Matha, who is also the chairman of the Prachachart Party's advisory board, visited Kamolsak at his residence to offer support. Wan Muhammad Nor expressed his sadness and shock at the incident, stating that Kamolsak was a politician who had worked for human rights and been closely involved with the people for almost 10 years, fighting for the people's suffering and for justice. Kamolsak chaired the Committee on Law, Human Rights, and the Justice System, performing his duties to the best of his ability. Wan Muhammad Nor expressed his sorrow for Kamolsak and the other two colleagues, saying he never imagined such a tragedy would occur to a politician who had been so deeply connected to the people.
"Thawee" believes the perpetrators acted as an organized group. Pol. Col. Tawee Sodsong, leader of the Prachachart Party, visited Mr. Kamolsak at his residence and stated that it was a very serious incident. He described the nature of the crime as such, noting that in his personal experience, such an act would occur late at night, as if the perpetrators knew he was returning home. He noted that the entire route is marked by checkpoints, and if the perpetrators were armed, they wouldn't dare drive through them. Therefore, he emphasized the need for an organized group. He affirmed that MP Kamolsak is a man of the people and that he never had an escort during his campaign. He suggested that any attempt to harm him would have been better made during the campaign period.
Introducing the profile of Kamolsak, Member of Parliament for Narathiwat. Tracing the life journey of Mr. Kamolsak, from a lawyer for the people to a three-term Member of Parliament for Narathiwat and Chairman of the Legal Committee, who spearheaded the Tak Bai case. Known to the people of Narathiwat as "Waeyuha," he was born on September 24, 1967, and is a Member of Parliament for Narathiwat Province, Constituency 5, under the Prachachart Party. He is one of the politicians with the strongest legal knowledge in the current House of Representatives.