Woman truck driver killed in Nakhon Si Thammarat shooting spree
A woman truck driver lost her life when anonymous gunmen targeted her vehicle, leaving her vehicle’s cabin peppered with several rounds on one of Nakhon Si Thammarat’s main roads earlier today.
The shooting took place at 6am on the southern-expressing Asian Highway 41, in tambon Na Bon.
Police, rescuers, and medical personnel rushed to the scene to confront the sight of a bullet-strewn 22-wheel trailer equipped with a refrigerated unit loaded with pasteurised milk, pulled amid the motorway. From the preliminary investigation, police deduced that at least 17 shots had been discharged at the vehicle, reported Bangkok Post.
The 50 year old driver, Lalinya Kosai, originally from Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district, was found dead slumped over the driver’s steering wheel with several gunshot wounds to her body. On arrival, police officers found the inconsolable figure of her spouse, 41 year old Susawat Paholayuth from Sukhothai, alongside the vehicle.
The disheartened Paholayuth confessed to officials that the couple alternately operated the vehicle. He added that they were transferring a container filled with pasteurised milk, originating from Saraburi, headed toward the Sadao district of Songkhla, with Malaysia as the final destination.
Recounting the harrowing incident, he revealed that his wife had been driving the vehicle when the attackers struck while he was resting in the back compartment. He was startled close to 5am by the sound of gunfire, followed by the distressed cries of his wife, who showed immense bravery by managing to drive an additional 5 kilometres before succumbing to her injuries. The distressed spouse promptly informed the authorities.
Eyewitnesses relayed to the officers how they spotted a pickup truck occupied by two men parked along the roads before the shooting. As the trailer truck passed the parked vehicle, the occupants initiated the pursuit, pulling up beside the truck and unloading a series of shots into the driving compartment, as stated by Pol. Col. Chaiyaphat Sriruang, the head of Na Bon, before accelerating away from the crime scene.
Law enforcement personnel are presently delving deep to identify the motive behind this heartrending attack. They are evaluating video footage from surveillance cameras along the route in the hope of unearthing crucial leads.
