PHUKET: A Chumphon man shot his girlfriend, wounding her, following their breakup at a house in Wichit last night (May 9), before killing himself with a gunshot to the head.
Pol Lt Col Rassada Kleungwong from Wichit Police was called to the home, on the Muangthong-Khaokhad Rd in Moo 6, Wichit, at 10pm.
Police and rescue workers from the Kusoldharm Foundation arrived to find a crowd of local residents in front of the home.
Inside the house was its resident, named by police only as “Ms Nathinee”, 57, sitting at the dining table with blood on her face from a bullet graze. Rescue workers administered first aid before taking her to Bangkok Hospital Phuket.
On the floor in the home was the body of Prajak Piromsak, 56, from Chumphon, with a gunshot wound to his right temple.
Police estimated that he had died at least 20 minutes before they arrived. His body was taken to Vachira Phuket Hospital for post-mortem examination.
On the sofa in the living area police found a .357-calibre revolver that had been fired three times. Bullet holes were found in the sofa and the window. On the table, the police found two cans of beer and one bottle of wine cooler.
Before being taken to hospital, Ms Nathinee explained to police that she and Prajak were friends at school. After school, they later each married other people and had their own families. They started dating each other after both of them had separated from their partners.
Prajak arrived at Ms Nathinee’s home yesterday after travelling from Chumphon. He arrived with some alcoholic drinks and expected to have dinner together, she said.
While they were having dinner, Mrs Nathinee told him that she wanted him to be just a friend and asked him to tell her in advance before he visited her, which triggered his anger.
He told her that if they could not be together, they must die together. He then fetched the gun from his car, Ms Nathinee continued.
While arguing in the house, Prajak pressed Ms Nathinee against a glass window with his left hand and tried to shoot her in the leg with his right hand, but he missed and the bullet went to the sofa instead, she said.
Prajak then shot at her again. This time the bullet grazed her face. He then raised the gun to his right temple and pulled the trigger.
Ms Nathinee then called out to her daughter, who was staying in her bedroom on the second floor of the house, for help, leading to the police being called, she said.
If you or anyone you know is in need of emotional support and counselling, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand at their 24-hour hotline 02-113-6789 (English & Thai) or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai).
