Phuket flea market feud turns fiery: Shooting leaves two injured

The owner of the Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market in the Thalang district of Phuket engaged in a fierce argument with his former business partner, resulting in a shooting that left two people injured.

Officers from Thalang Police Station investigated the shooting at Koh Beng Ban Pon Flea Market at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, September 23. The two injured individuals were identified as a 50 year old ice delivery worker named Boonrod and 62 year old former market partner Kittisak.

Boonrod sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder while Kittisak suffered a hand injury. According to ThaiRath, both were transferred to Thalang Hospital, where they are currently in stable condition.

The market owner, 68 year old Manas “Koh Beng” Korcharoenkit, fled the scene after the incident but later surrendered to the police.

Officers have not yet disclosed the details of the questioning to the public. Thai PBS reported that Manas and Kittisak were formerly business partners. Kittisak later withdrew from the business and established a flea market 1 kilometre away from Manas’s market.

Kittisak invited vendors from Manas’s market to relocate to his new market, which angered Manas. They arranged a meeting to resolve the issue at Manas’s market but the discussion escalated into a heated argument and eventually led to the shooting.

Police have not yet pressed charges or imposed legal penalties on any parties involved. Further investigation into the incident and additional questioning of vendors and witnesses will be conducted.

In a related report, police are investigating a shooting in Trang province that left a Thai construction contractor injured in his right arm. The gunman, seen in CCTV footage wearing a food delivery rider’s jacket, approached the victim on a motorcycle.

Police are focusing on the victim’s construction business as a possible motive behind the attempted murder. The identity of the gunman has not yet been established by officers.