Former Village Head Shot Dead by Friend in Sakhon Nakhon

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Khoasod.

 

A former village headman in Sakhon Nakhon was shot dead by a close friend using a gun from the upper floor of a house. The suspect, who made no attempt to flee, waited for the police and stated he had been overcome with emotions before pulling the trigger.

 

The incident occurred on the evening of 3 March, in Ban Dong Noi, Dong Mafai subdistrict, Mueang district. Emergency responders from Sakhon Nakhon Hospital’s 1668 command centre were alerted to an unconscious person, but upon arrival, they found the victim had already died at the scene.

 

The deceased was identified as Mr. Them, 51, a former village headman of Ban Dong Noi. His body was found lying on his back, wearing a jacket and long trousers, with a gunshot wound to the right side of his torso, which had penetrated his chest. Nearby, officers discovered a gun leaning against a water jar and a spent shell on the ground.

 

The gunman, Mr. Pholsak, 47, was the owner of the house where the incident took place. He called the police himself and was found sitting underneath the house, waiting to surrender. He admitted to shooting the victim from the upper floor, hitting him in the back as he walked towards the bathroom, from a distance of around 12-15 metres.

 

Emergency responder Thanatorn, who arrived at the scene, reported that the suspect insisted he would not flee and repeatedly stated that the incident was a result of emotional distress he could no longer contain. As tensions ran high, police quickly took him to Dong Mafai Police Station, fearing reprisals from the victim’s family and local villagers.

 

The victim’s wife, 46, said her husband and the suspect had been cutting tree branches together earlier that day after a storm had caused damage near the suspect’s house. They had lunch and continued drinking together, while she returned home about 100 metres away.

 

She later heard a loud gunshot and was called back to the scene by a relative, only to find her husband lying motionless. She was shocked by the killing, as the two men had been close friends. While rumours suggested the shooting stemmed from jealousy over alleged messages between her husband and the suspect’s wife, she dismissed these claims, stating there was no evidence to support them.

 

A witness, 18-year-old Mr. Hai, who had been helping with the tree cutting, said the suspect appeared heavily intoxicated before firing the shot. After shooting, he allegedly turned to Hai and asked, “Shall I fire another?”, prompting the young man to flee on his motorbike in fear.

 

Neighbours also noted that the suspect had been jealous of the victim’s friendship with his family, leading to mounting tensions.

 

At Dong Mafai Police Station, forensic officers collected gunpowder residue samples from the suspect’s hands as part of the investigation. When questioned about his motive, he remained silent.

 

Police have charged Mr. Pholsak with murder, while the gun used in the attack is being examined further.

 

-- 2025-03-05

 

[Briggsy]

4 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

They had lunch and continued drinking together

"Overcome with emotions", "Overcome with alcohol" rather.