SURAT THANI - A fleeing gunman exchanging shots with pursuing police drove wildly through the grounds of a hospital, panicking staff and patients, before being stopped and captured in Muang district on Thursday morning.
Police were called to a PTT petrol station on Bang Paimai Road around 6.30am after a pickup truck driver wielding a gun asked to see the manager. As the manager was not there, the man left.
Two patrolling policemen later spotted the pickup stopped along Naibang Road. They asked the driver to allow a search, but he accelerated away. The two officers and five more patrol vehicles pursued him.
The fleeing pickup truck sped into the grounds of Surat Thani Hospital, smashing into fences. Police followed and the driver opened fire at his pursuers. Witnesses reported hearing several shots during the chase, which caused panic among hospital staff and patients.
Police fired shots at the vehicle's tyres, but the driver refused to stop and sped off out of the hospital grounds.
The vehicle was finally brought to a halt in front of a gold shop in the downtown area.
Pol Lt Prinya Meepian, a deputy crime suppression chief, rammed his pickup truck into the suspect’s vehicle, ending the hour-long pursuit.
Jeeradet Buakaew, 36, of Nakhon Si Thammarat, was arrested. He had gunshot wounds to his right hand and left chest.
Police said they found traces of illicit drugs in his blood. He was being held in police custody for legal action. The investigation was continuing.
Jeeradet Buakaew, 36, of Nakhon Si Thammarat, is taken to a hospital following the police chase in Surat Thani's Muang district on Thursday morning. (Photo by Supapong Chaolan)