Entertainment guard gunned down at traffic light in Pattaya

An entertainment guard was shot multiple times while waiting at a traffic light at the intersection at Na Kluea sub-district, North Pattaya, at 6.16am yesterday.

The 39 year old guard, Panya Khayanngan, succumbed to his wounds despite a swift rush to the hospital.

The crime scene painted a gruesome picture, with Panya’s overturned motorcycle and his body riddled with bullet wounds. An eyewitness named Teoy recounted the heart-stopping moment when the assailant approached Panya, fired shots, and vanished into the darkness.

Adding a layer of complexity to the tragedy, Panya’s distraught wife, Malinee Khayanngan, revealed a festering feud with a neighbour, 31 year old Prawet Chanthong. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation and threats involving firearms just two days prior, pushing the situation to a deadly climax. Prawet, a Grab food delivery rider, remains on the run, leaving police in pursuit.

Prawet’s mother, Kanya, shed light on the earlier altercation, disclosing that her son had been physically assaulted by Panya and others. The clash, she claimed, involved a pit bull allegedly biting Prawet during the heated exchange, reported the Pattaya News.

While the exact nature of the dispute remains unknown, police investigations unveiled a fractured friendship between the victim and the suspect. Former neighbours turned foes, and their relationship deteriorated in recent months, culminating in the fatal shooting.

As authorities intensified their manhunt for Prawet, the suspect’s mother expressed a glimmer of hope for his surrender, acknowledging the impending legal consequences.

In related news, a violent outburst in a Thai bar led to a woman’s death and left her husband critically injured in central Thailand. The suspect, Sopon Thammasadang, who was reportedly fuelled by jealousy and unrequited love, turned himself in to the authorities after fleeing the scene. The incident occurred at a house in Sam Khok, Pathum Thani on January 21.