Lt. Col. Wirot, clad in body armor and a helmet, was under tight security as he was brought in for further interrogation at Narathiwat City Police Station. He implicated Somporn as the mastermind, citing personal dissatisfaction with MP Kamolsak. Police remain unconvinced by his account.
At 10:55 a.m. on 23 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong Khotsakha, Commander of Narathiwat Provincial Police, Pol. Col. Ekachai Wichian, Deputy Commander of the Southern Border Provinces Investigation, and several police officers took custody of Lt. Col. Wirot Ketumanee, one of five suspects wanted under a criminal warrant from Narathiwat Provincial Court. They are accused of jointly carrying out the attempted assassination of Kamolsakak Liwamo, Narathiwat MP for District 5 from the Prachachart Party, in front of his residence in Bacho District, Narathiwat Province, on 20 Mar 2026. The incident left the MP’s driver and pursuing police officers seriously injured. The suspect was transferred from a Navy Marine Special Task Force aircraft at Kok Kian Subdistrict, Muang District, Narathiwat.
After being taken from Don Mueang Airport by the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Investigation Command, Lt. Col. Wirot was brought for additional questioning under strict security measures. He was equipped with a bulletproof vest and helmet during transport to Narathiwat City Police Station. Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong and Pol. Col. Ekachai conducted the interrogation personally, accompanied by several investigators from the case-solving team. Lt. Col. Wirot appeared visibly anxious.
The suspect, Lt. Col. Wirot, summarized his confession by admitting involvement in the incident, citing personal motives. He claimed that Somporn, a previously arrested suspect, was the mastermind behind the attack. Additionally, he expressed personal dissatisfaction with MP Kamolsakak’s human rights work in the area, which led him to accept the assignment from Somporn.
After completing the interrogation, Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong revealed key developments: Lt. Col. Wirot confessed to carrying out the shooting, citing personal conflict with MP Kamolsakak as the motive. He expressed dissatisfaction with the MP’s human rights activities and implicated Somporn as the mastermind and the one who ordered the entire plot.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Prayong added that although the suspect has made such accusations, police remain skeptical of the full testimony. They are currently only gathering statements, with conclusions pending forensic evidence and surrounding witness accounts. He noted that Lt. Col. Wirot is a highly experienced military officer who has completed advanced training and served abroad extensively, making his decision to commit this act appear rash and driven solely by personal grievances. Police are conducting in-depth investigations and collecting evidence to verify the accuracy of his statements; the case file has not yet been finalized.
Authorities plan to submit a detention request for Lt. Col. Wirot to the Narathiwat Provincial Court tomorrow (24 Apr 2026).