MP Kamolsak opens up: who orchestrated the assassination behind "Sompon," the mastermind planner. Suspicion surrounds the garage that dismantled the vehicle and the procurement of a new batch of ammunition after problems occurred during shooting practice.
The arrest was made yesterday (22 Apr 2026) after the suspect fled since 20 Mar 2026, following the shooting incident targeting MP Kamolsak Leewamo, Narathiwat Constituency 5, Prachachart Party. The attack occurred in front of his residence in Village 9, Phetkasem Road, Bajoh Subdistrict, Bajoh District, Narathiwat Province on 20 Mar 2026. The perpetrator escaped the area but was apprehended near Mon Bridge close to the border crossing to a neighboring country in Kanchanaburi Province.
The case involved a white four-door pickup truck, license unknown, belonging to the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) of Narathiwat Province, used as the vehicle. The assailants fired M16 rifles at MP Kamolsak Leewamo's car in front of his home in Village 9, Phetkasem Road, Bajoh Subdistrict, Bajoh District, Narathiwat, on 20 Mar 2026. The driver, Uchalam Kole, and Police Corporal Harirak Himminah, an escort officer, were seriously injured. Authorities later obtained warrants for five suspects; four have been arrested, and most recently, Lt. Colonel Wiroj Ketumanee, a former marine and the shooter, was detained as the fifth suspect.
During interrogation, Lt. Colonel Wiroj confessed to the shooting. He served as a navy captain and worked abroad for the United Nations for 16 years. After returning to Thailand without employment, he stayed with Mr. Sompon, who supported his expenses. Whether Wiroj took assignments from Sompon remains under investigation. Regarding borrowing the ISOC vehicle, Wiroj initially admitted to borrowing it before the incident; further details are under investigation. Other suspects have also confessed but provide conflicting testimonies. Whether the investigation will lead to the masterminds remains unclear, as suspects continue to shift blame among themselves.
One month after the assassination attempt, MP Kamolsak Leewamo of Narathiwat Constituency 5, Prachachart Party, has been actively demanding that the masterminds be brought to justice. Thairath’s special news team traced the assassination plot to his residence in Narathiwat Province, where heightened surveillance was observed due to suspicious vehicles parked for extended periods near and opposite his home.
MP Kamolsak told Thairath’s special news team that on the day of the incident, after the first shots were fired, it was the driver who was hit first.
About the first five shots that hit the driver, followed by a large burst of gunfire afterward. Based on his personal analysis, he believes the hitmen followed him from Hat Yai, using the four-door vehicle that was later dismantled. After the attack, it was found that the perpetrators called an unknown person, saying, "The mission is done; come in five minutes." This indicates that others were involved in the operation beyond the five suspects already caught.
The news team notes that one of the captured accomplices owns the garage that dismantled the vehicle used in the attack. MP Kamolsak observed that the garage had many vehicle remnants. The person arrested is "Mr. Sunthorn," and the contact who arranged for the vehicle to be dismantled was Sompon.
There remains suspicion about whether the garage regularly dismantles vehicles. This matter has yet to be further investigated.
Sompon is a key figure in solving this case. MP Kamolsak stated that the team had tracked and attempted to ambush the target three to four times before but missed the chance to shoot. Each time before the surveillance, the group gathered at Sompon’s house. Some facts have already emerged from suspects who have confessed.
It is known that the shooting plan had been in place for months, not just days. Alarmingly, they conducted shooting practice, during which the firearms had ammunition problems, necessitating a switch to a new type of bullets brought by an unknown person.
Regarding the use of a borrowed ISOC vehicle for the attack, footage from the vehicle’s dashcam, when zoomed in, showed stickers indicating frequent crossings into Malaysia. Upon verification, the dismantled vehicle was confirmed via engine number to belong to the ISOC. The facts reveal not only the vehicle but also involvement of former military personnel. The person who lent the vehicle is still serving in government service.
What needs to be clarified is whether anyone beyond the five arrested suspects was involved. Personally, MP Kamolsak believes there were more than five, as telephone communications reporting after the shooting clearly indicate. This is especially supported by phone call evidence.
Reflecting after one month, although warrants were issued quickly, involvement of government units raised other issues. Nonetheless, MP Kamolsak is confident the investigation is straightforward and can reach the masterminds.
Thairath’s special news team visited the three southern border provinces and inquired about the motives behind the shooting of MP Kamolsak. Security sources analyzed that, based on experience, this incident is unlikely related to southern insurgent groups.
Conversely, political issues and conflicts with local influential figures are noteworthy. MP Kamolsak has been active in ways that may have caused conflicts with local powers. It should be noted that the shooter was a former military officer. The area is under the jurisdiction of the relevant units, and some retired officers still live with families in the area, which may have motivated the attack. However, a thorough investigation is still required.
