Dentistry student held for shooting at tourists

Phuphing Rajaniwet Police yesterday presented the suspect, Danot Praweenmet, 28, along with a 9mm gun after his arrest in a house on Siroros Road in Tambon Suthep. The Bangkok-native was initially charged for attempted murders, possessing a gun and ammunition without permission and carrying the gun and ammunition to a public place without sound reason.

Danot reportedly shot a Canadian national, Nicolas Brown, a Korean man, Ty Yeon Lee, and Thai-Scott Moris Chaiwat Blake at the Ban Din Restaurant on Soi Nimmanhemin 13 at 12.30am yesterday before fleeing the scene.

Following information from witnesses that the shooter rode a white sedan with car registration plate number “Chor Thor – 6847 Bangkok”, the police located the car at 2am at the house. They found one spent bullet in front of the house and another spent bullet inside the car near the driver’s seat. 

Danot, who surrendered to police and let them search the house at 3am, claimed that he had gone to the restaurant alone and had an argument with the tourists so he walked out and shot several times at the restaurant while he drove past it before going home.

Police investigation found that the suspect was drunk and had flirted with a foreigner waitress there, which upset her boyfriend who assaulted him, leading to the suspect’s drive-by shooting.