A village headman was shot dead during a community meeting in Phatthalung today, June 7, with police later arresting a relative accused of carrying out the attack.
Police were called at around 2.10pm to a village hall in Chai Buri subdistrict, Mueang Phatthalung district, after receiving a report of a fatal shooting.
The victim was identified as 57 year old Suwit Boonplong, a local village headman. Police said he had been shot once in the head and died at the scene. A microphone and meeting documents were found near him, while a .45 casing was also found near the front of the meeting table.
Residents told police that Suwit was chairing a regular monthly village meeting attended by more than 50 committee members and residents when the shooter walked in from the side of the hall with a gun.
Police identified the suspect as 47 year old Khajonwut Chuphong, who is a relative of Suwit.
Witnesses said Khajonwut fired once at Suwit before running away. A second gunshot was later heard, and Khajonwut suffered a gunshot wound to his right shoulder.
Police later arrested him while he was hiding at a house about 100 metres from the village hall.
Officers said they seized an 11mm pistol allegedly used in the shooting, along with seven bullets. Police said the weapon and ammunition had been hidden under a mattress in a bedroom at a relative’s nearby house.
The suspected motive, officers said, was a personal conflict between Suwit and Khajonwut.
According to police, Khajonwut had previously been accused of firing a gun at a patrol police booth during Songkran. An arrest warrant was issued and he was later arrested in that case.
Suwit had opposed Khajonwut’s bail because of concerns about his behaviour and fear among residents. Police added that the suspect had been involved in firearm-related cases several times.
Thairath reported that Khajonwut was released on bail on June 4 before the village hall shooting.
At the time of reporting, investigators are still checking the source of the ammunition used in the shooting. Police have not yet listed formal charges, but under Thai law, cases involving fatal shootings can include murder and firearms offences, depending on the evidence.
Phatthalung saw another village headman killing last year, when CCTV helped police piece together what investigators described as a coordinated hit by six to seven people linked to a local political dispute.
The story Relative accused of shooting Phatthalung village headman dead as seen on Thaiger News.
