Pet peeve turns deadly: Feud erupts in central Thailand bloodbath

A bitter, months-long dispute over pets exploded into shocking violence in Pathum Thani’s Khlong Luang district yesterday, leaving a retired army officer and his neighbour dead in a bloody confrontation.

Police rushed to the scene at a housing estate in tambon Khlong Sam yesterday, September 8, around 7.30am, where they discovered the lifeless bodies of 64 year old Colonel Jaruchart Jarupan and 53 year old Saowagul Sasadoh. Adding to the chaos, Saowagul’s 30 year old son was found with a gunshot wound to his left hand.

Witnesses recounted that the feud between the retired colonel and Saowagul had been simmering for months. The argument reignited over their shared fence, prompting Jaruchart to storm back into his home, returning with a 9mm pistol. In a shocking turn of events, he marched over to Saowagul’s house and opened fire, hitting her multiple times.

Police detailed the gruesome injuries: Saowagul suffered five gunshot wounds to her left cheek, abdomen, right hand, and arm. Meanwhile, Col Jaruchart was found dead in front of Saowagul’s gate, with a fatal gunshot wound to his left temple, the exit wound visible on the right.

The morning mayhem has left the community reeling, as authorities piece together the tragic culmination of a neighbourhood dispute.

Anothai Jarupan, the colonel’s 63 year old wife, revealed that her husband and their neighbour had been arguing for approximately six months over their pets. She witnessed her husband retrieve his firearm before hearing multiple gunshots and discovering him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Kritin Natawin, Saowagul’s son, described rushing to the front of the house upon hearing the gunshots. The colonel then shot at him, wounding his hand.

The feud between the families began when the retired officer’s adopted cat crossed into Saowagul’s property, where they kept a dog, reported Bangkok Post.

In related news, a mother and her child narrowly escaped an attack by two Thai dogs that had broken free from their home. The incident, shared by a TikTok user, sparked a significant online backlash, especially towards households with American Bullies, despite these dogs often being gentle with children.