Tattoo shop owner arrested for shotgun standoff on Koh Phangan
A tattoo shop owner turned new year celebrations into a nightmare on Koh Phangan, as shocking footage reveals him brandishing a shotgun and terrorising tourists in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
The perpetrator, 49 year old Denchai from Phatthalung province, was caught on security cameras at 2.56am yesterday, January 1, outside a massage shop in Krung Thai Soi, Ban Thong Sala. In the video, he menaces a group of foreign tourists with a long-barrelled Remington shotgun.
The situation escalated dangerously when a brave bystander attempted to disarm him, pushing the barrel away. The weapon discharged, sending a bullet perilously close to a tourist’s head before embedding it in the shop’s concrete wall. Undeterred, Denchai continued to prowl the street, weapon in hand, threatening passers-by.
The chaos finally ended when others managed to intervene, alerting the police. Officers arrested Denchai at his residence, where they confiscated the shotgun, its stock, and 18 rounds of ammunition. The tattoo shop owner is now under investigation at Koh Phangan Police Station.
“It was terrifying. He could’ve killed someone. We came here to celebrate, not dodge bullets.”
The incident, widely shared on social media, has drawn condemnation and concerns over public safety on the island. Police have assured the public that measures are in place to prevent such incidents in the future, reported KhaoSod English.
In related news, a young man found himself in hot water after leading police on a chase, ultimately being apprehended with a firearm in his possession.
The incident occurred on Monday, December 30, when officers from Bang Khen Police Station, led by Anan Warasart, apprehended the 20 year old man in the Ram Inthra 5 area of Bangkok. The suspect was found with a modified blank gun and .380 calibre ammunition, resulting in charges of illegal possession and carrying of a firearm.
In other news, a man caused chaos in a Nong Chok neighbourhood in Bangkok by brandishing a shotgun and challenging police officers to a fistfight.
