Gold robber says he didn't mean to kill young boy

Armed police escort Prasittichai Khaokaew, who admits shooting and killing people during a gold shop robbery on Jan 9, at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok on Thursday. (Police photo)
Armed police escort Prasittichai Khaokaew, who admits shooting and killing people during a gold shop robbery on Jan 9, at the Crime Suppression Division in Bangkok on Thursday. (Police photo)

The school headmaster who admits robbing a gold shop in Lop Buri province and shooting seven people said he did not mean to kill the two-year-old boy or a woman employee, but police will press charges of premeditated murder.

Prasittichai Khaokaew, 38, answered reporters' questions via an audio link to a press conference at the Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok.

He said he intended to shoot a security guard at the Robinson department store in Lop Buri province where he robbed gold shop, and the bullet hit the boy by accident. 

"I ...[pause]... did not see the child. I shot the security guard to clear the way. I didn't mean to shoot the child. I regret that," Mr Prasittichai said.

Two-year-old Titan was killed as he walked past the Aurora gold shop with his mother when the robber stormed up to the display counter about 8.44pm on Jan 9.

Security camera footage shows the robber shooting at gold shop staff and customers. A woman employee was also killed and he shot dead a security guard as he escaped.

"I shot to ...[pause]... clear the way and trigger fear," Mr Prasittichai said.

He claimed that his gloved finger stuck on the trigger of his gun, and caused him to accidentally shoot dead the gold shop employee.

After he shot the woman his instinct told him to continue shooting at the customers, and he regretted that,  the headmaster of Wat Pho Chai School in Sing Buri province said.

The suspect also said that he bought the sound suppressor attached to his pistol from a young friend he knew on the net.

"I wanted to soften the noise because I did not want to frighten people," Mr Prasittichai said.

Although he used his father's gun and his father-in-law's motorcycle during the crime, he was adamant that he acted alone. He had intended to surrender on Friday, after finishing some work he had to do for his pupils, the suspect said. Instead, police arrested him in Lop Buri as he drove to work on Wednesday morning.

Repeatedly asked about the motive for the crime, Mr Prasittichai said he had personal and financial problems. He refused to elaborate, and asked police to end the question and answer session. 

Police earlier said the suspect would be flown back to Lop Buri for a crime re-enactment. However, this was cancelled.

There was no suggestion of bail.

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Vocabulary

  • adamant: determined not to change  your belief or decision about something - ยืนกราน
  • bail: money that is given to a court when someone is allowed to stay out of prison until their trial. If they do not return for the trial, the court keeps the money  - เงินประกัน; การประกันตัว
  • bullet: a small, metal object that is shot from a gun - กระสุนปืน
  • elaborate: to add more information to or explain something that you have said - อธิบายเพิ่มเติม
  • glove: a piece of clothing that covers your fingers and hands - ถุงมือ
  • instinct: the way people or animals naturally react or behave - สัญชาตญาณ
  • intended: planned; wanted to happen - ที่ได้วางแผนไว้ ที่ตั้งใจให้เกิดขึ้น
  • motive: a reason for doing something - แรงจูงใจ
  • press conference: an official meeting where someone makes a formal statement about a particular issue or event to journalists and answers their questions about it - การแถลงข่าว
  • re-enactment (of a crime): repeating the actions of a past event, in this case, of a crime - แผนประกอบคำรับสารภาพ
  • robber: a person who steals from a person or place, especially using violence or threats - โจร, คนปล้น, คนชิงทรัพย์
  • suppressor (noun): a thing or person that prevents something from growing, developing or continuing - เครื่องห้าม, เครื่องระงับ
  • surrender: to give yourself up - ยอมจำนน
  • trigger: the part of a gun that you press in order to fire it - ไกปืน
  • trigger: to cause - ก่อให้เกิด กระตุ้น

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