BANGKOK, Thailand – A 28-year-old woman went on a chaotic rampage, ramming her car into eight vehicles before brandishing a firearm and threatening tourists on 26 September. She claimed to feel paranoid, believing that someone was trying to harm her, which led her to exit her vehicle and threaten foreign tourists in a tuk-tuk. The tourists fled in panic, narrowly escaping harm.
The suspect, identified as Ms. Wiphanee (alias), was apprehended by police from Thung Maha Mek Police Station. She was found with a 9mm automatic handgun and an empty magazine. The incident occurred at the North Sathorn Road intersection in Sathorn District, Bangkok.
The chaotic events unfolded on the evening of 25 September, when traffic police near St. Joseph’s Convent School were notified by radio to intercept a Toyota car that had fled the scene after colliding with multiple vehicles. The vehicle was eventually found on the sidewalk, with visible damage from the collisions. Its right side was still pressed against a taxi.
The woman, in a frantic state, reportedly exited her car wielding the firearm and threatening three foreign tourists in a tuk-tuk, causing them and the driver to flee in fear. The commotion startled nearby pedestrians, who scattered in panic.
Upon being restrained, the woman, still in a state of distress, struck Pol. Sgt. Sataporn Phan-ngam, a traffic officer, in the face with the gun, causing minor injuries. A search of her vehicle revealed a sharp knife under the driver’s seat, as well as documents related to the recently purchased firearm.
The suspect later explained that she worked as a Bolt driver and had left her home on Ratchaphruek Road in Thonburi to pick up a friend at Hua Lamphong. As she neared the Kronos building, she collided with a Honda car that made a sudden U-turn. After the crash, she lost control, both mentally and physically, believing she was under threat, which prompted her to ram other cars. Her vehicle eventually veered onto the sidewalk, where it became immobilized. Still convinced someone was after her, she grabbed the gun, which was unloaded, and ran out to confront the tuk-tuk passengers.
The suspect claimed to have recently purchased the firearm for 25,000 baht through an unregistered transfer, and it had not yet been registered under her name.
Relatives informed police that the woman had taken sedatives before leaving her house and had a history of psychiatric treatment at Somdet Chaopraya Hospital. In total, eight vehicles were damaged during the rampage.
The suspect is currently facing charges of “possessing a firearm without a permit, carrying a firearm in public without permission, and reckless driving causing property damage.” Additional charges may be added following statements from the victims involved in the incident. (TNA)
