Sondhi recovering well following lucky escape

"He's in safe condition and fully conscious," hospital deputy director Dr Dhiraphongs Charoenvidhya said at a press conference yesterday evening.

Dhiraphongs said Sondhi would remain under medical supervision over the next 24 hours. If his condition did not worsen during this period, he looked set to recover satisfactorily.

Earlier in the day, Sondhi sustained a wound in his right temple when heavily armed gunmen opened fire on his vehicle at dawn.

The incident took place while Sondhi was heading to his ASTV office in the heart of Bangkok.

His aide Wayuphak Mangkalasin and his driver Adul Daengpradab were also injured.

Sondhi and his aide were rushed to Vajira Hospital.

A medical team there successfully performed an operation to remove several tiny metal pieces from Sondhi's skull.

"We believe the tiny metal pieces are from a bullet. They pierced his right temple and the outer part of his skull," hospital director Dr Chaiwan Charoenchoktawee said. "They also pressed the inner part of the skull against brain membrane".

Following the operation, Chaiwan announced that no membrane had been removed and Sondhi's brain had received no permanent damage

Sondhi left Vajira Hospital at 3.30pm.

His aide and his driver were transferred to Chulalongkorn Hospital as well.

"They are transferred here at the request of their relatives," Dhiraphongs said.

Wayuphak was referred from Vajira Hospital, while Adul was referred from Mission Hospital.

Dhiraphongs said Wayuphak had no fatal injuries, although he had many bullet wounds in his upper arm.

The driver, Adul, was the most seriously injured.

"He's in the intensive care unit but he's conscious," Dhiraphongs said.

Adul, 27, had surgery on his brain, chest and right arm at Mission Hospital earlier in the day.

Dr Harpreet Singh Grover, who works at Mission Hospital, said the operation took four to five hours.

"The most serious injury is around his upper occiput. A part of his brain was damaged," the doctor said.

When Sondhi was at Vajira Hospital, a number of high-profile figures showed up to offer him moral support. They included his TV co-host Sarocha Porn-udomsak, actor-turned PAD co-leader Saranyu Wongkrachang and Thai Journalist Association representative Wassayos Ngamkham.