AYUTTHAYA — A 35-year-old motorcyclist allegedly under the influence of methamphetamine was arrested in Lat Bua Luang district after indiscriminately firing his gun at innocent people, killing a teacher who had her two daughters in her car and injuring another driver.

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Media reports identified the shooter only as Sarawoot, 35, a native of Lam Luk Ka district in adjacent Pathum Thani province. Police found three methamphetamine pills in his possession following his arrest, suggesting he was under the influence of the drug at the time of the rampage.

The chaotic sequence of events began when Sarawoot’s motorcycle fell to the ground on a road alongside Klong Phraya Banlue canal in tambon Phraya Ban Lue. Without apparent provocation, he got up, drew a 9mm pistol and opened fire on passing motorists who had nothing to do with his accident.

One of his shots struck a 44-year-old mother who was driving her car with her two daughters and her uncle inside. The woman, identified as Papasara Ruangrit, a teacher at Watsukantaram School in Wang Noi district of Ayutthaya, was rushed to a hospital but died from her injuries. Her two daughters, who were in the car at the time of the shooting, witnessed their mother being fatally wounded, adding a layer of trauma to an already senseless tragedy.

A motorcyclist has apologised after killing a teacher during an apparent indiscriminate shooting while under the influence of narcotics in Lat Bua Luang district of Ayutthaya province.

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The wild shots also hit another driver, who was struck in the right arm. The wound required four stitches, but the victim is expected to survive. Police were able to apprehend Sarawoot at the scene, and he remains in police custody pending formal charges.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, particularly at Watsukantaram School, where Papasara was remembered as a dedicated teacher. Colleagues and students expressed disbelief that a woman who had dedicated her life to educating children was cut down in a random act of violence on a routine drive.

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Police are continuing their investigation, and Sarawoot faces multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder and drug possession. The presence of methamphetamine pills at the scene suggests drug-induced psychosis may have played a role in the attack, though authorities have not yet confirmed whether Sarawoot was under the influence at the time of the shooting. For the two daughters who lost their mother, and for the school that lost a beloved teacher, the wounds will take far longer to heal than the four stitches needed by the other victim. The question on everyone’s mind is how a man with a gun and a drug habit was allowed to roam free until he exploded into violence on a quiet road in Ayutthaya.

-Thailand News (TN)