TMJ & His Security Team Form Human Shield To Protect Family During Siam Paragon Shooting
The Crown Prince of Johor expressed gratitude to his security team, as well as to the Singaporean and Malaysian Embassies, stating, "I will be forever grateful to all of you."
By Yap Wan Xiang — 04 Oct 2023, 12:18 PM
The Crown Prince Of Johor (TMJ), Tunku Ismail Ibni Sultan Ibrahim, shared his horrifying experience of escaping to safety with his family during the Siam Paragon shooting yesterday, 3 October
The shooting started around 4.20pm yesterday at Siam Paragon, one of the largest malls in Bangkok, Thailand.
In a statement last night, the Johor Crown Prince said he and his family happened to be at a hotel connected to the mall at the time of the incident.
"People were shouting and running into the hotel from the mall when the shooter started firing. It was loud and there was a lot of screaming," said Tunku Ismail.
Upon recognising the severity of the situation, he, along with his wife and children, were promptly evacuated to the hotel's basement, accompanied by his security team.
Tunku Ismail said that they were unaware of the situation, particularly regarding the number of shooters present and the type of weapons they possessed
"We had to be on alert and be prepared for any circumstance because all we knew at that point was the gunshots we heard. We didn't have any other information and had to be ready for anything.
"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.
"My security team and I stood in front of my family, creating a human shield to protect them at all costs. The idea was to get the family and my team out of there. My wife hugged all our kids, staying low and trying to calm them because they were terrified and were crying," he said, recounting the frightful experience.
The Johor Crown Prince then directed his security team to bring their vehicle to the basement for transport to a secure location
He instructed his security team to take him and his family to the Malaysian Embassy, which was approximately 4km away. However, he received advice to seek shelter at the Singaporean Embassy instead, as it was about 1km closer.
Tunku Ismail and his family members were reported safe upon their arrival at the Singaporean Embassy. During their time there, he contacted Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to inform them about the situation.
Tunku Ismail said Malaysia's ambassador to Thailand, Datuk Jojie Samuel, was also there with him.
The Johor Crown Prince expressed gratitude to his security team, as well as to the Singaporean and Malaysian Embassies, stating, "I will be forever grateful to all of you."
In a tweet at 3.22am today, 4 October, Tunku Ismail said he had safely arrived in Johor.
