A former Thai lawmaker was arrested Monday after a shooting at a government office in Nonthaburi province, just outside Bangkok, left a senior local official dead and his driver wounded.

The incident occurred at around 11 a.m. at the offices of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, according to local authorities.

The victim, Thongchai Yenprasert, chief executive of the organization, was critically wounded after being shot in the face and neck. He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries. His driver was shot in the arm and remained in stable condition, officials said.

Police arrested the suspect, identified as Chalong Riewraeng, a former member of parliament from Nonthaburi. Regional police commander Wattana Yeejeen said the suspect had admitted to the shooting and that investigators believed the incident stemmed from a personal dispute.

Speaking to reporters at a local police station after his arrest, Chalong said he had been arguing with Thongchai over money he claimed to have lent him.

According to the suspect, he followed Thongchai to his vehicle after their disagreement. He said he did not initially intend to shoot the official but opened fire after Thongchai’s driver allegedly drew a weapon and pointed it at him.

“I wanted to apologize to the people of Nonthaburi,” Chalong told reporters. “I had no intention. We were friends and I thought we could talk it out, but he wouldn’t talk to me.”

Police have not indicated that the shooting was politically motivated, and authorities have described the dispute as personal.

The latest attack has heightened concerns over gun violence in Nonthaburi, which is still mourning a deadly shooting at a school in the same province just days earlier.

In that incident, a 14-year-old student opened fire at a school after reportedly shooting members of his family. The attack ultimately left nine people dead, including the shooter, while more than 20 others were injured, according to the latest reports.

The two incidents occurring within days of one another have intensified calls for stronger controls on firearms in Thailand.

Thailand’s government has indicated that it intends to strengthen measures aimed at preventing further gun violence following the recent attacks.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called for stricter enforcement against carrying firearms in public and has rejected the idea that self-defense should automatically justify the carrying of weapons.

Authorities are also considering stronger security measures at schools, including metal detectors, improved weapons screening, emergency drills and additional mental-health assessments.

Thailand has one of the highest rates of civilian firearm possession in Asia, and the recent shootings have renewed debate over access to guns, enforcement of existing regulations and the need for tighter safeguards.

The latest shooting has added to the pressure on authorities as they investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and seek to prevent further violence in the Bangkok metropolitan area. (ILKHA)