THAI Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin vowed to restore public confidence in the wake of a tragic shooting at Siam Paragon, a busy shopping complex in the heart of Bangkok which is a popular hangout for foreign tourists.
A 14-year-old suspect has been charged with six counts including premeditated murder.
The tragedy happened at a time when Thailand was approaching its high tourism season and was looking to boost its local economy by revitalizing its tourism sector.
“Everyone was running to escape death. Everyone ran without any thought, not knowing if they were running towards the suspect or in what direction. Everyone just ran,” according to Peera Kooharaungrong, witness.
The prime minister said he called China’s Ambassador to Thailand to reassure him of the government’s steps action to enhance public safety.
In response, the Chinese Ambassador told Srettha that the incident would not affect the confidence of the Chinese government and Chinese tourists.
“After all the facts have been found, I called the Chinese ambassador (Han Zhiqiang) and apologized to him about the unfortunate incident, and I have reassured him that the Thai government is doing all we can to help. And His Excellency (Ambassador Han) has been kind enough to give me support and understanding, and he is certain that it will not affect the confidence of the Chinese government and the Chinese tourists,” Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of Thailand, stated.
Meanwhile, a South Korean internet streamer went viral after she captured the real-time perspective of the chaos and panic that ensued during the shooting spree.
She was in the middle of a live stream at a restaurant in Siam Paragon when a gunshot made her stand up from her chair and run for her life.
Other shoppers could be seen panicking and dashing for safety as they all ran to the exit.
Thailand sees China as a crucial market for its tourism industry.
Chinese visitors accounted for around one-third of its nearly 40 million visitors in 2019.
Thailand’s new visa-free entry program for tourists kicked off on September 25th and will run until the 29th of February 2024.
The Southeast Asian nation aims to attract 2.9-M Chinese arrivals and generate a staggering 140-B baht in tourism revenue over the next five months.
