Trigger-happy shop owner granted bail

>>A Pathumwan shop owner who set off panic by firing about 40 gunshots on Friday morning was released on bail of 350,000 baht after his first court appearance yesterday.

Ekachai Jaruksin, 48, faces charges of attempting to kill others, firing shots in a public area, illegal possession of crystal methamphetamine and using illicit drugs.

Police took him to the Criminal Court yesterday morning to seek his detention for 12 days while they continue investigating the case.

However, the court granted temporary release on a 350,000-baht guarantee, on condition that he not do anything else that would pose a danger to others.

The incident began when gunshots were fired from the building housing the Best Sports shop in Soi Chula 10 around 4am on Friday. Police at the scene found the man firing the shots on the third floor of the sports shop.

They cordoned off the area and asked relatives of the man, later identified as Mr Ekachai, the owner of the shop, to calm him down. He finally surrendered around 10.30am and was taken to the Pathumwan police station.

After questioning the suspect, police found the 48-year-old had fired the shots in anger over family and business problems. He told them he had no intention of hurting anyone. But the incident caused panic in the neighbourhood, especially since it was just days after the mass shooting which left 30 people including the gunman dead in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Police searched his room inside the shop and found two pistols, many rounds of bullets, some crystal meth and drug paraphernalia.