Court Sets 15 Witness Hearing Dates in Politician Shooting Case
A Narathiwat court has scheduled 15 witness hearings starting January 2026 in the case of a March 2025 shooting that wounded an MP and two police officers, with five military and naval personnel defendants including two who have confessed t
In Narathiwat, the court has scheduled the first witness hearing from January 19 to February 2026, with 15 total hearing dates set in the shooting case of Kamlasak Liwamaoh, a Narathiwat MP from the Phak Pracharachhat party. The court will decide the verdict and sentencing based on evidence presented. As prosecutors, authorities have the right to submit additional evidence.
On September 18, the Narathiwat Provincial Court held a rights protection and evidence examination hearing in case involving military personnel and former naval officers from Narathiwat who allegedly used a government vehicle belonging to the Narathiwat Internal Security Operations Command and military weapons to shoot MP Kamlasak Liwamaoh, Narathiwat District 5, Phak Pracharachhat, in the early hours of March 20. The shooting resulted in serious injuries to Uchalam Goloh and Police Colonel Hariruk Himmina, police officers conducting surveillance operations.
The rights protection and evidence examination hearing was attended by Abdulloh Hayiaboo, chairman of the Muslim Lawyers Foundation Center in Yala province and legal counsel for Kamlasak, as well as Kichcha Alihao, counsel for Uchalam Goloh and Police Colonel Hariruk Himmina. Five defendants appeared: 1. Flight Sergeant Wiroj Ketmani, the shooter; 2. Thanaphat Wattanaphinyou, gunman; 3. Alawi Aew, driver; 4. Somporn Lungdech, coordinator and pointer, all four detained at Narathiwat Prison; and 5. Squadron Leader Montri Toprasoert, released on bail.
MP Kamlasak Liwamaoh revealed that today the court held the rights protection and evidence examination hearing, as the previous hearing had been postponed. Key issues concern documents and case files currently being processed by the Royal Thai Police, with documents from Narathiwat required to be forwarded to the Region 9 Police Commander and relevant departments for further action.
The previous hearing was postponed because documents submitted by prosecutors remained at the Royal Thai Police headquarters and had not been returned to the court. Today marked the second rights protection hearing. Although case files had not been returned, the Narathiwat Provincial Prosecutor's Office prepared photocopies of submitted documents for review by all parties. The court today examined the statements of all five defendants—Somporn, Alawi, Thanaphat, Wiroj, and Montri—from the previous hearing. During the last session, Thanaphat and Alawi confessed to attempted murder charges, while the other three defendants denied the allegations.
Today the court reaffirmed their statements. Thanaphat and Alawi maintained their confessions, while the other three defendants continued to deny the charges and contest the case, proceeding according to legal process. When asked about confidence in expanding charges against the three defendants based on the confessions of the two who admitted guilt, MP Kamlasak noted that the court must examine whether the confessing defendants mentioned or referenced the three defendants who deny the allegations in any way. Regardless, the case is expected to proceed to conclusion.
