A renowned pro-government poet was gunned down in broad daylight in the car park of a Bangkok restaurant yesterday, police said.
Kamol: Found in pool of blood
Kamol Duangphasuk, 45, who is widely known by the pseudonym Mai Nueng Kor Kunthee, was found lying in a pool of blood in the car park of the Khrok Mai Thai Lao restaurant on Soi Lat Pla Khao 24 in Lat Phrao district.
Witnesses said Kamol walked past them to the car park about 2pm. They heard five to six gunshots shortly after.
The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Kamol, who was a resident of Samut Songkhram province and graduated from the faculty of painting, sculpture and graphic arts at Silpakorn University, has been contributing poetry to the Matichon weekly magazine for years.
He recently became popular among red-shirt supporters. He also led a revamp of criteria used in selecting the winners of the Phan Waen Pha Award, a well-known accolade presented to outstanding creators of political literature.
Nattawut Saikuar, secretary-general of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said he had no information regarding the possible motive for the poet's murder.
He also asked supporters to join him at a later date in observing a moment of silence to pay tribute to the poet.
Police are investigating and say they have no details yet as to the motive.
Meanwhile, the red-shirt radio station in Pathum Thani province that was hit by a grenade on April 13 was attacked again late on Tuesday night.
The FM105.25 station in Lam Luk Ka district was hit by gunfire about 9.50pm, police said.
At least 23 used 9-millimetre cartridges were found near the radio station, but no one was injured in the fresh attack.