Mayor of Rueso Subdistrict Municipality Assassinated in Meeting Room Shooting.

Rueso: Wielding an M16, a gunman shot and killed the mayor in the middle of a meeting room at a garment factory. Surveillance cameras captured the moment when the assailant, dressed in a hijab and armed with an M16 rifle, entered the room and fired at Mr. Wichet Thaithongnum, the 55-year-old mayor of Rueso Subdistrict Municipality, killing him in front of three other meeting attendees. According to Thai News Agency, the gunman, along with three accomplices, fled the scene on two motorcycles after the attack. Police responded promptly, discovering 19 M16 bullet casings at the scene and two additional casings near the factory entrance. The investigation suggests that Mr. Wichet was the sole target, as no other individuals in the room were harmed. The authorities have identified four potential motives behind the assassination: security issues, business conflicts, personal issues, and local political disputes, with a particular focus on local politics due to the absence of political assassinations in the area fo r a long time. The police are actively investigating the crime scene and reviewing CCTV footage for clues regarding the perpetrators' escape route. The footage indicates the use of a black Honda Wave 125 motorcycle with an unknown license plate and a black Honda Wave 110i without a license plate. Mr. Wichet, affectionately known as Mr. Arm by the villagers, was a well-respected figure, having served two terms as mayor and held various positions such as president of the Narathiwat Provincial Sports Association and board member of Narathiwat Community College. He was also an advisor to the garment factory where the incident took place and owned the Rueso Kindergarten School.