YALA: A senior judge at the Yala provincial court who shot himself with a pistol has been taken out of an intensive care unit and is now being treated at an in-patient ward at Yala Hospital, Office of the Judiciary spokesman Suriyan Hongwilai said on Sunday.
Judge Khanakorn Pianchana produced a pistol and shot himself after handing down a ruling in a case at a courtroom on Friday afternoon. He was rushed to Yala Hospital where he underwent surgery for injuries.
Mr Suriyan said Mr Khanakorn had been moved out of the ICU to an in-patient ward for further treatment.
On Sunday morning, Sarawut Benjakul, secretary-general of the Office of the Judiciary, as assigned by Supreme Court president Salaiket Watanaphan, visited Mr Khanakorn at the hospital.
After the visit, Mr Sarawut went to the Yala provincial court for a meeting with Aniruj Jaithiang, the Yala court chief judge, and Pusita Lalee, chief of the Yala youth and family court, and conveyed a message from the Supreme Court president to all judicial officials operating in the southern border provinces to give them moral support.
Before shooting himself, Mr Khanakkorn posted a 25-page statement on Facebook on Friday. The statement included messages reading "Return the ruling to the judges" and "Return justice to the people", sparking a controversy over the country's judicial system.
The Court of Justice has insisted there are mechanisms to ensure the independence of a ruling judge.