Garbage truck driver shoots neighbour dead in Phatthalung
A long-running dispute turned deadly late last night, December 23, when a garbage truck driver allegedly shot and killed his neighbour outside a home in Bang Kaeo district, Phatthalung, with the victim’s son also injured.
The shooting occurred at about 10.20pm in Tha Madua subdistrict, where officers from Bang Kaeo Police Station, forensic specialists, doctors, and rescue workers were called to the scene following reports of gunfire in a residential area.
Police said the victim, 50 year old Sriphrai, the homeowner, was found dead, lying across his motorcycle in front of his house after being shot twice with a 9mm firearm. His son, 23 year old Anek, was also shot during the incident, sustaining a gunshot wound to his right buttock while attempting to help his father, and was rushed to the hospital in serious condition.
The suspect, 56 year old Warongkorn, a municipal garbage collection truck driver, who lives next door to the victims, was arrested at the scene, with police seizing the 9mm pistol believed to have been used in the shooting as evidence.
Initial investigations revealed that the suspect and the victim had been involved in arguments for more than a year, with police saying tensions often escalated after Warongkorn hosted late-night social gatherings at his home, leading Sriphrai to complain about the noise. On the night of the shooting, Sriphrai reportedly rode his motorcycle out to run an errand and became involved in another heated argument with Warongkorn after returning home.
Police said the confrontation escalated rapidly, with Warongkorn allegedly drawing the firearm and shooting Sriphrai at close range. When the victim’s son rushed in to help his father, he was also shot before the suspect was arrested at the scene.
Officers said Warongkorn is being held for further questioning as investigators prepare to proceed with legal action, reported Thairath.
Similarly, earlier in March, Police arrested a 63 year old Thai man after he shot dead a Laotian woman at a karaoke bar in the southern province of Phatthalung.
