PHITSANULOK: A man brandishing two guns killed three staff members at Radio Thailand's Phitsanulok station and wounded another yesterday morning.
The gunman, Wim Sonsuk, who was an electrician at the station, began the shooting rampage at about 11am, police said.
Armed with two handguns, a 9mm and a .38, he stalked and shot dead three staff members -- Sanit Butmangkul, the station director; Jirawut Sumetthepanan, a senior electrician; and Phumisaran Phanphum, a senior technician.
Prung Chandaeng, a radio transmission technician, was shot and wounded.
Mr Wim then waited at the radio station for police to arrive. Pol Lt Gen Apichart Sirisith, commissioner of the Provincial Police Region 6, said Mr Wim also had a knife with him and had planned the shooting in advance.
Sanit, the station director, had tried to run away but was chased down and killed near the back of the building. He was the last person to be shot.
Pol Lt Gen Apichart said investigators were still questioning witnesses and collecting evidence from the scene.
The shooter's motive is not yet known. Police, however, said there had reportedly been a row between Mr Wim and a senior technician.
Mr Wim is in police custody and on suicide watch. He has been charged with premeditated murder, attempted murder and illegally carrying a firearm in public.
According to a witness, an employee working near Sanit's office who asked not to be named, said Mr Wim started the shooting spree by firing at Phumisaran in the audio room during a live broadcast.
Afterwards, he shot Jirawut then Mr Prung, who then ran to hide in the broadcast room.
The sound of multiple gunshots was audible during the broadcast.
Afterwards, Mr Wim walked into Sanit's office and took aim at him.
Sanit reportedly shouted, "Don't hurt me. What did I do to you?", and then jumped out the window in a bid to escape. Mr Wim followed Sanit and fired multiple shots at him. He also stabbed Sanit repeatedly.
However, Mr Wim did not attack a female staff member who was hiding under the table in the broadcast room, and allowed police to take him into custody without resistance, the witness said.
Mr Wim had reportedly been receiving treatment for mental illness for about three years. Citing a recent welfare meeting which forced Mr Wim to move to a room behind the radio station, it is suspected that stress also played a role in the attack.