A 54 year old Thai man yesterday shot his 74 year old neighbour for having an affair with his wife in the Manchakhiri district of the Isaan province of Khon Kaen. The victim is in a serious condition in hospital.
The 54 year old gunman, Pongjit, shot his neighbour, 74 year old Thaksin, three times in the body and once in the arm. Thaksin is now being treated at Khon Kaen Hospital. Officers from Manchakhiri Police Station responded to the scene.
According to the police report, the incident took place at a two-storey house at around 6am yesterday, December 19. Bloodstains were found in several spots inside the property. Thaksin was reportedly cooking in the kitchen, with a window open.
The gunman, Pongjit, shot him through the open window, forcing Thaksin to flee and hide in a bathroom. Thaksin then left his home to seek help from relatives who lived nearby.
A neighbour of Pongjit and Thaksin, 46 year old Sujittra, told Khon Kaen Link news agency that she believed the motive for the shooting was adultery. The two men reportedly argued multiple times in the past.
Other locals told Channel 7 that Thaksin had divorced two wives before having an affair with Pongjit’s wife. Pongjit reportedly discovered the affair after noticing the two spending time together.
Pongjit allegedly gave the pair an ultimatum: either end their relationship or move away to live together far from him. However, Thaksin and Pongjit’s wife ignored his warning and continued their affair until the day of the incident.
Pongjit reportedly waited at his home, only 60 metres from the scene of the incident, to turn himself in. He admitted to all his actions and expressed his desperation. He stated that he warned Thaksin multiple times, with the latest warning issued last month.
Pongjit also disclosed that he intended to fire more shots at Thaksin, aiming to kill him on the spot. However, Thaksin’s relatives begged him to stop, and he complied.
The gunman now faces two charges:
- Section 288 of the Criminal Law: intentional murder. The penalty is the death penalty, life imprisonment or imprisonment from 15 to 20 years.
- Section 8 of the Act on Firearms, Ammunition, Explosive, Fireworks, and Imitation Firearm: carrying and using a gun in a public place without permission and necessary. The punishment will be imprisonment for up to five years, a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.
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