BANGKOK: Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim shared his harrowing experience as he and his family were at a hotel near Bangkok's Siam Paragon Mall, where a fatal shooting occurred on Tuesday.

The Johor crown prince explained that his family was seated in the hotel lobby when the shooting erupted.

He added that there was a commotion as people fled from the mall into the hotel upon hearing the gunfire before they were rushed to safety to the basement of the hotel.

"The only thing on my mind was how many gunmen were there, what weapons they had and what was the situation.

"We had to be on alert and be prepared for any circumstance because all we knew at that point were 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," he said in a Facebook posting late last night, just hours after the incident happened.

Tunku Ismail said he and his security team stood in front of the family to create a human shield to protect them until they could escape from the area.

"My security team and I stood in front of my family, creating a human shield to protect them at all cost. 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.

"Alhamdulillah, we are safe. Thanks to my security team and our friends from Singapore and Malaysia. I will forever be grateful to all of you," he wrote.

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, so he contacted the Singapore consul-general in Johor for assistance.

"Now we are here safe in the (Singapore) Embassy. I called the Malaysian Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) and our Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan to inform them of what was happening. The Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand (Datuk Jojie Samuel) is also with us," he said.

Tunku Ismail updated on X (formerly Twitter) that the family had safely returned to Johor Tuesday night.

"Sadly, I missed the JDT 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. Two people died. May God bless their innocent souls," he wrote.

Tunku Ismail, who was in Bangkok for a JDT match against BG Pathum United in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Group I match on Tuesday night, witnessed the team's victorious comeback, with JDT prevailing 4-2 at the Pathum Thani Stadium.

In the shooting incident, two casualties were reported, with five others sustaining injuries. Initial reports, however, had indicated three fatalities.

According to local media reports, a 14-year-old suspect has been apprehended for discharging a firearm inside the mall.

Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Datuk Jojie Samuel later confirmed that no Malaysians were involved in the shooting incident.

-- BERNAMA