KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 4 — The shooting incident at Bangkok’s Siam Paragon Mall yesterday, which killed two individuals and injured five others, was nerve-wracking for bystanders including Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim.
Tunku Ismail took to Facebook last night to share the terrifying moments as he and his family were at the hotel nearby the scene.
The crown prince said his family were sitting in the hotel lobby when the incident took place.
“People began shouting and rushing into the hotel lobby when the shooter started firing,” said Tunku Ismail, who is popularly known as TMJ (the Malay initials for Tunku Mahkota Johor).
“We had to be on alert and be prepared for any circumstances because all we knew at that time were the shotguns we could hear.”
Tunku Ismail said his security team quickly took them to safety at the basement while waiting for their cars to arrive.
“I still have images of me telling my kids, ‘everything is going to be okay. Babah and Mama are here’ and telling them to get down while waiting for the car.”
Tunku Ismail said he and the security team stood in front of his family to create a human shield to protect them before they escaped the scene.
“My wife hugged all our kids, staying low and trying to calm them because they were terrified and were crying.
“I was shouting at the top of my voice to our security to get the car to the basement and get us to a secure location away from the place.”
Tunku Ismail said he told his team to go to the Malaysian embassy in Thailand, but his driver informed him that the Singapore embassy was closer.
He then contacted the Singapore consul-general in Johor for assistance.
“Now we’re here safe in the Embassy. I called the Malaysian prime minister and our defence minister to inform them what was happening. The Malaysian ambassador (to Thailand) is also with us.”
Tunku Ismail was then taken to the airport to return to Johor.
“Sadly, I missed the JDT (Johor Darul Ta’zim) game but I’m glad my family and our team are safe.
“This is the worst experience I’ve ever gone through, protecting the lives of my children from a killer.”
Tunku Ismail thanked his security team and friends from Singapore and Malaysia who helped to protect him and his family.
He was in Bangkok yesterday for the JDT match against BG Pathum United which won 4-2.
Following the incident, police arrested a 14-year-old suspect armed with a handgun on the third floor of the mall.
Malaysia’s ambassador to Thailand, Datuk Jojie Samuel, said in a statement the embassy is monitoring the situation closely.
