Thai Senator Shot a Woman with a Pistol and NOT with a Sub-Machine Gun
This has to be the most confusing story that has come out of Thailand in recent days. The headline in the Bangkok Post today was “Senator kills aide with Uzi in eatery”. In this story, the Bangkok Post says: “While waiting for their meal, Mr Boonsong took out an Uzi 9mm sub-machine gun. He told police the gun accidentally discharged and his secretary was shot in the stomach.” The newspaper edition only had room for a small picture of the senator. However, their website has this picture of a sub-machine gun, and also of some AR-10 rifle kits, which the police discovered upon investigating Mr. Boonsong’s house.
Naturally, a story like this has legs and it wasn’t long before “sub-machine gun” headlines were going around the world. This one is by the Daily Mail in the UK: “Thai senator ‘accidentally shoots cousin dead with Uzi machine gun during family meal’. Notice how we have gone from secretary to cousin. In fact The Nation newspaper is saying the victim was his wife. Could be all three I guess. Anyway, everyone is of course asking, how can anyone accidentally kill someone with a sub-machine gun while sitting at the table? As if to emphasize this point, all of these stories are illustrated with a Uzi sub-machine like this one from the BBC.
What is embarrassing for Thailand, and more importantly for the Bangkok Post, is that the weapon used was not a sub-machine gun. In fact it was this Jericho 941 pistol. I took this screen grab from the Channel 3 news this morning. I think the confusion arose because the Jericho 941 was developed in Israel and has been called a Uzi Eagle. The editor at the Bangkok Post must have thought it was the stereotypical sub-machine gun and decided to use a stock image. But, we mustn’t forget that the main story here is that due to his parliamentary immunity, it is unlikely that the senator will be arrested any time soon.
Thank you for correcting the news.
I am a family member of the deceased woman and I was very shocked how fast the misinformation and incorrect news had gone viral all over the world news media.
At just for the information, it was a hand gun. Only one bullet was fired. The magazine was taken out but there was one bullet already loaded in the gun left. The woman used to be his secretary for many many years ago but she was not working for him at the time of the accident. She was not his cousin, they were not related.
They were together long time ago, though never legally married and they had two teenage daughters together.
The thai TV news can be seen at the beginning of this clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLouEN5FsV0&feature=player_embedded
Sorry for your loss and thank you for helping to correct the news.
“If anyone easily bring a gun to the table in Thailand at anytime and anywhere, no one will visit Thailand.”
LOL, there are signs in front of famous Buddhist temples in Thailand, telling people that it is not allowed to bring in their guns. Even at the Macro shop in town, there is a sign telling; “no firearms while shopping”..!!!
which Macro? I want to go and see with my own eyes.truth or else.
Parliamentary immunity is one story. But just why the Senator had a gun in his possession and allegedly at the dinner table, should surely be another question. Perhaps it’s normal in some Thai circles, but I’ve had hundreds of meals all around Thailand over the last 33 years and yet to see anyone (openly) bring a gun to the table.
I don’t believe the article of the report itself. Maybe it could be fabricated or over-exaggerated, who knows? It’s just something-gossiped to believe or not. If anyone easily bring a gun to the table in Thailand at anytime and anywhere, no one will visit Thailand.
After 40 years in journalism I can only say that the level of knowledge of present journalists is going down.
Strongly and absolutely agree with you! Not trying to know knowledge but exaggerating to sell the article!