Nephew of former Pattaya deputy mayor surrenders on shooting charges
After losing control and shooting a British man in a road rage incident, the nephew of a former deputy mayor of Pattaya turned himself in yesterday. The 32 year old man identified only by his first name Apichat surrendered to police in Pattaya.
According to Apichat’s account of the incident, the deputy mayor’s nephew was driving his car when he was followed by 71 year old Neil Roger on a motorcycle. When he was in the left lane waiting to turn, Roger honked his horn, cursed at Apichat, and then followed him and hit his car. He stopped his car to confront the British motorcyclist and they argued vehemently before the man jumped on his bike and drove away.
The angry nephew chased the British man for nearly two kilometres in what he described as a “state of rage” after being insulted and angered by the confrontation. He eventually got ahead of the motorcycle and stopped his car to block the motorbike according to TPN National.
He then pulled out a 9mm pistol and shot Roger four times before fleeing the scene. The deputy mayor’s nephew was armed because he is a professional shooting athlete. He has won many competitions and the gun used in the shooting was in fact one that he used in sports competitions.
He was eventually persuaded by members of his family to turn himself into the police. Apichat surrendered to the authorities and turned in the gun that he used in the shooting. He has been denied bail and will go to court Monday morning.
The former deputy mayor of Pattaya, Pattana Bunsawat, assisted in the arrest by informing the police that his nephew wanted to surrender, according to Thai Newsroom.
The incident took place in the Nong Yai subdistrict of the Bang Lamung district in Chon Buri province. The 71 year old British engineer had just returned from a trip to the United Kingdom the day before the fatal shooting took place. His body was found laying dead by the side of the road in Soi Khao Makok 1.
