Diehard romantic, neighbour from hell, a smile too far

Anything for love

An Udon Thani man who shot at his teenage girlfriend as she tried to flee their abusive relationship, injuring a young friend by mistake, insists he did it out of love.

Theerasak “Pe” Phuanphong, 36, shot at a motorcycle carrying his girlfriend, Nano, 15, and her friend, Tok Taek, 14, in Ban Dung district on Dec 17. Tok Taek, who was driving, was shot in the left leg but is now out of danger.

The teens were trying to flee Mr Theerasak, who three days before had imprisoned Nano out of jealousy when she came home late after a night out with friends.

Nano and Mr Theerasak were in a relationship and had been together just a month before the shooting incident, having met through an older friend of hers.

It was a whirlwind romance, with her not yet of legal age and Mr Theerasak an unstable character prone to fits of jealousy who also took drugs, she told…