During his wedding celebration, a former national Paralympic athlete, now a groom, committed a tragic act of violence, resulting in the deaths of his bride, her mother, sister, and two other guests. The disturbing event unfolded late at night in Nakhon Ratchasima, within a tent erected for the festivities adjacent to the Wang Nam Khiao district market. Chaos ensued as the scene became littered with scattered food, drinks, tables, and chairs, while terrified attendees fled. All four victims, succumbing to gunshot wounds, were discovered amidst the aftermath. Two individuals were rushed to the hospital, but one, a fifty-year-old named Thong Nonkuntod, eventually passed away, elevating the death toll to five.
The head of the Wang Nam Khiao Police Station, Police Lieutenant Colonel Rungroj Tangamnuay, reported that an initial investigation pointed to an argument between the couple during the celebration. The groom, 29-year-old Chaturong Suksuk, a former soldier and disabled national swimmer who had lost his right leg in a train accident, had recently earned a silver medal in the 11th ASEAN Para Games in Indonesia. He was also slated to participate in the 2023 World Abilitysport Games.
The wedding festivities commenced with morning ceremonies and culminated in an evening feast. Witnesses observed the couple in a dispute before the violent outburst. Inebriated, Chaturong caused a disturbance by overturning a table before retrieving a 9mm CZ automatic pistol from his car and indiscriminately firing at guests. His bride, 38-year-old Kanchana, her mother, 60-year-old King Klajoho, and her sister, 37-year-old Kornida Manator, fell victim to the shooting, while Thong and Bamrung sustained injuries. Chaturong ultimately turned the weapon on himself.
The crime scene yielded the firearm and eleven bullet casings, prompting ongoing investigations to uncover the motive behind this horrifying tragedy. Wachirawit, a 23-year-old nephew of one of the deceased, Thong, recounted his harrowing escape. Amidst the celebration, he sought shelter under a table upon hearing the gunfire and managed to evade injury.
