Australian Teacher Lucky To Be Alive After Being Shot In The Head In Chiang Mai

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Shot in the head, Melbourne teacher lucky to be alive
Mark Hawthorne
theage.com.au 2011-07-12

A Melbourne schoolteacher is lucky to be alive after being shot in the back of the head while on a school trip to Thailand.

Teachers Lynda Cody and Jess Lambden of Ringwood Secondary College had just departed a night market in Khum Kan Tok, in the northern city of Chiang Mai, when the car they were travelling was attacked by armed bandits.

Two bullets hit the car. One pierced the rear window, passed through two headrests, and hit Ms Cody in the back of the head.

The bullet grazed the back of the Ms Cody's skull. X-rays and a CT scan have since revealed no major damage, and she was released from hospital after receiving six stitches.

The second bullet hit the body of the car.

None of the eight Ringwood Seconday College students on the trip were involved in the incident.

The shooting took place at 10pm local time on Saturday, after a farewell dinner at sister school Montford College in Chiang Mai, which was being visited by the group from Ringwood Secondary College.

Ms Cody and Ms Lambden were visiting a night market to buy souvenirs before returning to Australia with their students.

A Montford teacher, known as Mr Suwan, drove off when the car was fired on.

Ringwood Secondary College principal Michael Phillips said: "Whilst the injury sustained by Lynda was serious, the incident was particularly stressful and both staff members will need counseling support as they realise how close they were to being shot. Some may also need some counseling. This has been arranged."

Assistant principal Julie Hughes is currently with the group, having flown over on Sunday. According to a spokesman, Ms Hughes is "liaising with the group, parents, the Department of Education and DFAT".

The incident was reported to local police, who are investigating.

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/national/shot-in-the-head-melbourne-teacher-lucky-to-be-alive-20110712-1hbo3.html

[isanbirder]

Extraordinary! not that I'm doubting the report.  In almost twenty years in Chiangmai, I never heard of anything to compare with this.  There was one guy who got shot, and nobody knew why, but most shootings are very much local feuds.