Nakhon Sawan: Nakhon Sawan police are urgently hunting down two gangsters who caused a shooting at a water pouring ceremony, injuring three people.
According to Thai News Agency, the incident occurred on April 14th at 3:15 PM at Wat Krok Phra Nuea in Tambon Krok Phra, Amphoe Krok Phra, Nakhon Sawan Province. The Krok Phra Police Station dispatched officers to the scene after being notified of the shooting. At the temple, three individuals were found injured: two men and one woman were promptly taken to Krok Phra Hospital. One of the victims, who sustained eight gunshot wounds, required a transfer to Sawanpracharak Hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
Initial investigations identified the perpetrators as Mr. Men, 29, and Mr. Phuthanadit, known as Golf, 41. The pair, described as gangsters, initiated a conflict with attendees at a music festival in the temple grounds. Security volunteers intervened and ejected them from the event, but the duo returned with a shotgun. Mr. Men drove a grey Honda motorcycle with Mr. Golf as the passenger. Mr. Golf dismounted and fired the shotgun from approximately 30 meters away, injuring three innocent bystanders: Ms. Daralai Klai Narong, 20, was shot in the right arm; Mr. Phongsapat Dechkrut, 20, sustained multiple serious wounds; and Mr. Phatthachai Makmu, 33, was shot in the right leg.
A novice monk at the temple recounted that after shooting into the crowd, the perpetrators attempted to flee on their motorcycle but slipped on gravel, abandoning the vehicle. CCTV footage revealed a white Isuzu D-Max pickup truck assisting their escape towards Uthai Thani Province.
Ms. Daralai, also known as Film, 18, provided a statement to the police. Her mother witnessed the incident from a distance as her daughter danced with friends. Mr. Golf, despite having been released from prison less than a year ago, instigated the altercation, allegedly intoxicated and challenging bystanders. Known as the leader of the Ban Lat Hua Laem gang, Mr. Golf has a criminal history, including drug offenses.
The investigation led to the arrest of Mr. Singh, 25, the pickup truck owner. Mr. Singh claimed he was unaware of the crime and only transported the suspects to a bus station. The motorcycle used by the perpetrators was found to have a fake license plate. Mr. Golf, recently released from a decade-long imprisonment for drug crimes, had returned to the area for the Songkran festival, leading to the incident.