A man sent to a hospital in the capital after slashing his own throat during a hostage incident opened fire with a pistol snatched from a policeman, wounding two, local media reported today.

The man, believed to be a Thai national, was being escorted to the hospital after cutting his own throat while police closed in on him after he took a hostage at a supermarket, police said.

A female Red Crescent volunteer was shot in the chest and a police officer in the hand when the man began shooting wildly after regaining consciousness and seizing the pistol, police said.

He was quickly overpowered and is now under police guard at the hospital. - AFP