(Updated) "Popcorn shooter" confesses

Latest: Popcorn shooter confesses to firing weapon at Lak Si. Earlier: Arrest made in Surat Thani 24-year-old Phitsanulok native Vivat Yodprasert, nicknamed the "popcorn gunman", one of four suspects, to be arrested for attempted murder & other violations.

Thursday update

Thai police held a press conference this morning in which Vivat Yodprasert, 24, the so-called "popcorn gunman" confessed that he was the man seen shooting a rifle through a popcorn bag at the Lak Si intersection. He said that he fired about twenty rounds with no particular target in sight. He said he was a PDRC guard and was paid 300 baht per day. He is held on a serious of weapons-related charges and police say they will oppose bail.

Here is more from our online reporters:

The suspect said he was approached by a friend, who went by the name Men, to work as a security guard for the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) in exchange for a daily compensation of 300 baht.

"The gun that I used at the Laksi shooting was an M16 and I got it from another PDRC guard at the Chaeng Watthana rally site. He taught me how to use the gun. However, I had never used weapons and never created violence before the Lak Si incident.

"On that day (Feb 1), I received a radio signal from another guard to come out and protect Luang Pu Buddha Isara (one of the protest leaders and a monk) and prevent the protest site from being taken over.

"I shot about 20 rounds but I don't know who hired me," Mr Vivat said.

A popcorn bag was used to conceal the M16 and to collect spent bullet shells, he said.

The shooter suspect said he returned the gun to one of the PDRC guards and went into hiding in his friends' houses following the Laksi shooting.

17:10 Wednesday 19/03/2014

"Popcorn Gunman" arrested

Reports are just coming in that Thai police have arrested the so-called "Popcorn gunman" in Surat Thani. Pol.Lt.Gen. Winai Thongsong said Vivat Yodprasert, 24, put up no resistance while being arrested. He is currently being brought back to Bangkok.

Post Today reports that the arrest was made at a market in the province at about 2pm this afternoon. Vivat had apparently been hiding at the house of the wife of a relative, who was said to be the chief guard at the Chaeng Wattana rally site. Protesters there were involved in the Lak Si incident where Vivat was alleged to have been active. A press conference is expected later this evening.

CRIME 

Arrest warrant for 'popcorn gunman'

18/03/2014

The Criminal Court has approved an arrest warrant for a suspect known among demonstrators as the "popcorn gunman" over a shooting at Laksi intersection on the eve of the Feb 2 general election.

Thung Song Hong police station presented the court with evidence to support its application for approval to arrest Vivat Yodprasert, according to information posted on Policespokesmen Facebook. The 24-year-old suspect is a native of Phitsanulok's Nokhon Thai district.

The police sought arrest warrants for four suspects, but the court approved only a warrant for Mr Vivat and instructed police to gather more evidence to support the application for warrants for the other three.

Mr Vivat will be charged with attempted murder, owning and carrying a gun and ammunition in public without permission, and violation of the emergency decree prohibiting the carrying of a gun outside his own residence.

The shooter was nicknamed  the "popcorn gunman"  because the gun he fired was concealed inside a popcorn bag, which also collected the spent bullet shells.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/400472/vivat-yodprasert-named-in-arrest-warrant-as-popcorn-gunman-suspect

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