A Thai judge shot himself in a courtroom after delivering a rare speech railing against the country’s justice system.
Kanakorn Pianchana worked at the Yala court in the insurgency-hit south of Thailand.
After acquitting the five Musllim men of murder and firearms offences, he addressed the court with an impassioned speech that he broadcast live on Facebook.
“You need clear and credible evidence to punish someone. So if you’re not sure, don’t punish them,” he said.
“I’m not saying that the five defendants didn’t commit the crimes, they might have done so,” he added.
Further, he posted on Facebook “[If] I cannot keep my oath of office, I’d rather die than live without honour.”
He then recited a legal oath, pulled out a pistol and shot himself in the chest.
But he was rushed to hospital where he is reported to be in a stable condition and is recovering from injuries.
A statement believed to have been written by the judge before giving his ruling suggests that his suicide attempt could have been related to alleged interference in the case.
Criticism of the judicial system by judges is extremely rare in Thailand.
