Gunman remains at large after fatal shooting on Bangkok expressway

The gunman remains at large after a fatal shooting on an expressway in Bangkok early yesterday morning, December 23.

Officers from Prachachuen Police Station were alerted to the shooting at around 4.50am yesterday. The incident occurred about 200 metres from a toll booth on the Sirat Expressway in the Prachachuen area of Bang Sue district.

At the scene, police found the body of 34 year old Anuwat Yartniyom inside his sedan, a Toyota Altis. He suffered one gunshot wound to the neck and two additional wounds to his arm. His girlfriend, 28 year old Sawitri, was at the scene in a state of distress, with her clothes covered in blood.

Sawitri told police that Anuwat had picked her up from a friend’s condominium. The couple were driving home in the Phetchakasem area when the incident took place. She identified the shooter as the driver of a white Toyota Alphard Vellfire.

According to her account, the Alphard suddenly changed lanes as it approached the toll gate. She asked her boyfriend to give way to avoid a confrontation.

However, the Alphard later pulled up alongside their car on the right-hand side. The driver then lowered his window and fired three to four shots directly at Anuwat before speeding away.

Police reviewed CCTV footage along the route and believe the shooting was likely triggered by a road dispute that occurred shortly before the toll gate. However, officers said they have not ruled out other possible motives.

KhaoSod reported that after the shooting, the Alphard was driven to an apartment where its registration plate were replaced with a fake one. The vehicle then continued towards Phutthamonthon Sai 7 Road before being abandoned in Nakhon Pathom province. The driver was later seen leaving the area by taxi.

Further investigation revealed that the Alphard was a rental vehicle. Police traced the most recent renter to a 48 year old man named Thitsanu Sanghirun, who resides in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province. Records show that he had travelled to Bangkok several days before the shooting.

Nevertheless, police stressed that they have not yet confirmed whether Thitsanu was the gunman. Investigators are also working to determine how many people were travelling in the rental vehicle at the time of the incident.

Police said further updates would be released as the investigation continues.