PAD Leader Sondhi Limthongkul shot at, driver critically wounded

[noodles]

 

The Nation

 

Yellow shirts' leader shot and wounded

 

Sondhi Limthongkul, a core leader of yellow shirt protest movement which seized Bangkok airports last year, is shot and injured early Friday morning. Sondhi was riding on Samsen Road , on his way to his newspaper and television office in Banglampoo at about 5am when a group of men riding on a pickup opened fires on his vehicle.

 

The pickup then sped away along Tevet Road. The bullets hit Sonthi's arm while his driver, Adul Daengpradub, was also injured. Both were rushed to a hospital nearby.

 

Police who rushed to the attack scene in front of Iamworanut Temple found Sondhi's car riddled with bullets. Police reportedly collected about 100 cartridges of AK-16 and rifles.

 

 

The Nation

 

Sondhi Limthongkul is in serious condition after being shot as a bullet hit his left skull. The bullet is still in his skull, causing bleeding inside his brain, Vajira Hospital Director Dr Chaiwun Charoenchoktavee said Friday. Meanwhile PAD's spokesman Parnthep Pualpongpan said at least two attackers riding on a pickup blocked Sondhi's vehicle who was on Samsen Road, heading to Manager newspaper office in Banglampoo area early Friday morning.

 

The attackers then shot four tyres of Sondhi's vehicle before stepping out of their car and sprayed more bullets on the car. The attack lasted about five minutes and the attackers went back to their pickup which sped away along Tevet Road.

 

Police who rushed to the scene found Sondhi's car riddled with bullets and they could collect more than cartridges of AK-16 and rifles from the scene.

 

Parnthep said Sondhi was informed of reports that he could possible a target of attack, but he simply ignored the warnings.

 

Meanwhile Chamnong Paokorn, 53, a bus driver, said that he was driving his bus past Iamworanut Temple when he saw a blue pickup truck which had no license plate blocked Sondhi's vehicle.

 

Then two men on the back of the pickup then opened fires on the vehicle. Then another vehicle sped to the scene and exchanged fires with the attackers who later escaped the scene.

[prak]

AK-16?? I not a firearms expert, but I think somebody is a retard. Is it me?

 

Not that it really matters to the story, it just makes me wonder about the reporting skills on display here...

[Al.]

Now we have Thai terrorists, the tit for tat shootings will start then the bombs then how long before it starts to get indiscriminate killing innocent people.

 

Just hope I am wrong

 

Al.

[Scumbag]

As much as I believe that this guy should be brought to justice for what he did last year this is not the right way forward.

[Scumbag]

Here is the report from Bangkok Post. They might be more accurate as they are reporting that AK-47s and M-16s were used. I can't beleiver that they pumped 100 rounds in to the car and didn't get tim. Obviously they are not professionals!!!

 

Sondhi shot, wounded

 

Sondhi Limthongkul, the Manager media mogul and founder of the People's Alliance for Democracy, survived an assassination attempt Friday that police said left him and two others wounded.

 

The gunmen fired about 100 rounds from assault rifles through the windows of Mr Sondhi's car as he was on the way to record a programme for his ASTV station before dawn on Friday.

 

He suffered head injuries, the most serious of which occurred when a piece of metal, apparently from the car, penetrated the right side of his skull, causing bleeding in his brain, according to director of Vajira Hospital Dr Wanchai Charoenchokethawee.

 

"Doctors are performing an operation, which is expected to be completed around noon," Dr Wanchai said, adding that there are no injuries to his body.

 

"At least two attackers followed Mr Sondhi's car, overtook it and sprayed it with about 100 rounds of gunfire from AK-47 and M-16s,'' said the commander, Colonel King Kwaengwisatchaicharn.

 

"The motive for the attack is still under investigation,'' he said.

 

The car was attacked at a petrol station near the central bank at around 5am, according to PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan.

 

Mr Sondhi's driver was in a serious condition, while an aide suffered minor injuries.

 

The apparent assassination attempt came days after clashes between supporters of Thaksin Shinawatra and security forces, which left four people dead and 123 injured in Bangkok.

 

However, Mr Sondhi's "yellow shirts" of the PAD have not been actively involved in politics since they ended their siege of the two Bangkok airports and declared their street demonstrations over.

 

Mr Sondhi founded what became the PAD in late 2005 when he arranged a number of anti-Thaksin protest meetings in Lumpini Park.

 

Mr Sondhi was once friends and a political backer of Thaksin, and at one point declared him Thailand's "best prime minister ever'' - but then began his campaign against his former ally in late 2005.

 

Thaksin said Mr Sondhi wanted revenge after the media tycoon invested heavily in a new television station that was blocked by regulatory hurdles.

[gogo dog]

When you see the pictures of the car it's amazing nobody was killed.

[Lok Jit]

If the King does not step in and clean this mess up Thailand may have a full blown Civil War on its hands killing this wonderful country~~~

[hazze]

:( very worrying.

[Al.]

Dont open if you are squeamish about blood.

 

Slideshow Sondhi's Ambush

 

If that doesnt work go to The Nation and click on the video (it's actually a slideshow)

 

Al.