On Tuesday, officers from the Boon Rueang police station were summoned to a fatal shooting incident in Chiang Khong District, Chiang Rai province. The deceased was a 41-year-old male who had been shot in the face by his uncle.
Pol Lt Nattapol Chanda, an investigator with the Boon Rueang police station told reporters that at approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 11, 2025, authorities in Chiang Rai received a report of a shooting incident in Ban Kiang Tai, Huai So Subdistrict, Chiang Khong District.
Police, along with emergency responders, arrived at the scene to investigate.
The victim, 41-year-old Pongsakorn (last name withheld), was found dead with a gunshot wound to the right side of his face. Blood and brain matter were scattered near the doorway of the ground floor. The body was taken for an autopsy at Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.
Police also seized homemade guns found in the house to test for gunpowder residue and identify the weapon used.
Witnesses reported that the suspect, 58-year-old Wai (last name withheld), was the victim’s uncle and lived in the same house. The pair had argued frequently in the past.
The village head, Wuthikrai Chaichai, said he was informed of the shooting around 8 p.m. and contacted authorities. He said that the shooting happened during a heated argument at dinner. Mr Wai reportedly used a homemade gun to shoot his nephew, Pongsakorn, after a heated verbal fight turned violent.
After the shooting, Mr Wai allegedly left the scene, purchased alcohol, and went to a rubber plantation about 3-4 kilometres away. Police later tracked him down and arrested him at his home. Initially, Mr Wai denied the accusations but eventually confessed, as it was well-known within the community that the two often clashed.
About a month earlier, the nephew had even fired a gun in the air to intimidate his uncle during a previous argument.
Mr Wai’s brother, Udon (last name withheld), 50, told police that he was watching TV at a house about 10 metres away when he heard a single gunshot. Moments later, he heard Wai’s motorcycle leaving the scene. He didn’t think much of it since the two had a history of frequent arguments, including one earlier that evening over Pongsakorn’s refusal to wash dishes.
It wasn’t until 10 minutes later, when he decided to check on the situation, that he discovered Pongsakorn’s lifeless body. Entering through the back door, as the front door was locked, he found the nephew lying on his back, holding a spoon and a plate of papaya salad in his other hand.
His left leg was still draped over the table, frozen in the tragic moment of his last meal.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
