SAA event in Thailand on Wed 27th November 2024

Police are hunting for a 58-year-old man who shot three people  to death in Sri Bun Ruang district of this northeastern province on Wednesday morning.

According to Sri Bun Ruang district chief Petai Jonkratok, the shooting started at house number 236 in Ban Takhian Thong village at 6am.

There the gunman shot Preecha Piamai, 54, and his daughter Wachinee Piamai, 28. The father was killed instantly and the daughter succumbed to her injuries at Sri Bun Ruang Hospital later.

The gunman then rode his motorcycle to Ban Fai Hin village, where he met the third victim, Thaworn Waetthaisong, 68. Thaworn was shot dead at the Ban Fai Hin intersection in tambon Non Muang.

CCTV footage showed the gunman, dressed in black, walking towards the third victim as he was sweeping the other side of the road at 6.30am.

The gunman drew a pistol from his jacket pocket, waited for a tractor to pass and crossed the road.

He then stopped close to the victim and shot him in the head at point-blank range.

After the victim fell to the ground, the gunman fired more shots at him before walking back across the road.

He then ran towards a woman sitting on a bench by the road nearby. Having heard the gunshots, she ran for her life and managed to escape.

According to local officials, the suspect was identified as Samart. He fled the scene on a blue motorcycle and headed for Na Klang and Muang districts.

Police said Mr Samart was a scrap collector. Victim Preecha had earlier filed a police complaint against Mr Samart of using his ATM card to withdraw a 10,000-baht government handout for his disability. Mr Samart denied the accusation.

Another victim, Thaworn, in his capacity as a village security volunteer, had earlier arrested Mr Samart for alleged theft.

The Royal Thai Police Office said on its Facebook page at 10.29am that police were trying to stop the “deranged man” and would like to receive clues about his whereabouts.

The district chief said checkpoints had been set up in the area.

Traisuree Taisaranakul, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry, said the gunman had used a 9mm pistol in the crime but did not have a licence for the gun. Officials have also questioned his wife. She reportedly said the gunman told her by phone that he would surrender, but she then lost contact with him.