One dead after double ride-by shooting

PHUKET CITY: Two ride-by shootings on Sunday night left one dead and two seriously injured in what police believe are gang-related incidents, said Pol Lt Col Somkid Boonratof Phuket City Police Station.

Chaiwat Jaemjan, 21, was riding his motorcycle on Damrong Rd, when he was shot by a member of a gang of about eight youths on motorcycles, said Col Somkid.

Friends at the scene rushed Chaiwat to Vachira Phuket Hospital, where he was admitted at 12:45 am but died later that night.

Col Somkid told the Gazette that Chaiwat was shot in the body when the group of motorcycle riders rode past him.

A second shooting took place at Saphan Hin later that night, injuring 19-year-old Surasak Tenwong and another 15-year-old boy as they congregated with friends on the roadside next to Klong Bangyai behind Saphan Hin Gymnasium.

The pair were admitted to Vachira Phuket Hospital at 1:15am.

Police believe the two shootings may be related as both incidents were carried out in the same way, with the weapon being fired from a gang of passing motorcycle riders.

Both shootings also involved the same kind of homemade gun, locally known as a chappong.

“We already have a description of the culprit from witnesses of the second shooting,” Col Somkid said.

“The offender fits the description of a criminal already on our blacklist. Although we are not sure of his current whereabouts, we are confident he will be apprehended soon,” he added.

The chappong is a homemade gun constructed with two tubes of metal that fire a bullet by using air pressure. It can be any length, but is usually kept short for ease of concealment. According to police, the chappong is favored by young criminals as it is a cheap, simple weapon to make, usually costing around 500 baht.

The bullet that killed K. Chaiwat had such a devastating effect as it was the kind that explodes on impact.