SARABURI - A fugitive major drug suspect wanted for killing a drug-suppression sergeant was shot dead at a monastery in Kaeng Khoi district during a gunfire exchange on Friday night.
A team of police surrounded monks’ living quarters at Baan Tad Chaisri monastery in tambon Cha-om at around 11.40pm on Friday after being alerted that drug suspect Pranom Seesuk was in hiding at the monastery.
Upon seeing the police, Pranom, 46, opened fire from the monks’ living quarters on a hill, prompting the officers to return fire. After a brief gunfire, the suspect was dead with a bullet in his head.
The suspect, who was found wearing a monk’s robe but with unshaven head, had shot dead Pol Snr Sgt Maj Annop Khreu-nand, of Kaeng Khoi police station, during an anti-drug suppression operation in Ayutthaya’s Wang Noi district last Saturday night. Police offered a cash reward of 100,000 baht for information leading to his arrest.
He had fled to several provinces and at least six people who had helped him have been arrested, said police.
Before the shootout, he had been in hiding at Cha-om mountain before going down to stay at the living quarters at the monastery. The monks alerted a local leader who later contacted police.
Police inspect the living quarters of monks at Ban Tad Chaisri monastery, where drug suspect Pranom Seesuk, 46, was shot dead during a brief gunfire with officers on Friday night. (Photo by Sunthorn Pongpao)