The Bangkok South Criminal Court yesterday sentenced a 22-year-old man to death for the fatal shooting of a rival student and a woman in Klong Toey district in November 2023. It ordered him to pay over 6 million baht in compensation to the victims' families.
The shooting occurred on Nov 11 at around 9.30am, in front of TMB Bank in the Klong Toey area, when the defendant, Anawin Kaewkeb, a student from Pathumwan Institute of Technology, along with a group of vocational students, chased and opened fire on their rivals. The incident resulted in the deaths of Sirada Sinprasert, 45, a computer science teacher at the nearby Sacred Heart Convent School, and Thanasorn Hongsawat, 19, a university student.
Anawin was arrested in Chiang Mai on Nov 24 after a nationwide manhunt, which resulted in the arrest of 24 perpetrators in several locations, including Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan provinces.
After examining the evidence presented by the prosecution and defence, including 59 witnesses and CCTV footage, which was consistent with police investigations, the court found Anawin was the shooter.
He was convicted of multiple charges, including criminal association, gang-related activities, firearm offences, and premeditated murder under Section 91 of the Criminal Code. Punishment for the latter includes the possibility of the death penalty.
All of the 23 other defendants save one, who was acquitted, were given various sentences, from two-year jail terms to life imprisonment for aiding premeditated murder. The court ordered Anawin to pay 6,078,000 baht in compensation plus 5% annual interest to the families of the deceased. The families welcomed the verdict. Ms Pornpimol, Thanasorn's mother, told reporters the defendants have not issued an apology.
Anawin showed no remorse even when he was sentenced to die, she said, adding he smiled and joked with the other defendants instead. After the ruling, a clash between the two rival institutes broke out behind the court building where the defendants were detained.
Their friends began shouting at a group of Thanasorn's friends. Police from Yannawa station and court officials intervened and separated the two groups before the clash could escalate.
