CHIANG RAI – A neighborly dispute escalated to the point where one person died after a man with a rifle M16 fired about 20 shots at the old man, 64 years old, who was trying to get away in his truck. It is believed that the ongoing conflict is the cause of this unfortunate event.
On Friday, law enforcement officers received information regarding a man armed with a military-type gun who was firing at his neighbor in a paddy field near Ban Nong Samakkhi, Moo 5, San Sai Ngam Subdistrict, Thoeng District, Chiang Rai.
The unlucky person, during the escape, managed to get to a distance of 4 to 5 kilometers, got into a crowded area of the town with stores and requested help. The investigators have already recognized the offender and he has not been detained so far. The police are preparing an arrest warrant and their pursuit of him is to a large extent active.
The entire situation started on a Friday at 4:15 PM. Pol Lt Col Chian Kanjaiya from Thoeng Police Station got a call saying that there was a bar fight accompanied by gunshots, and the police also indicated that a car had been very heavily damaged. The police came to the location which is roundly positioned near the 7 km milestone in Ban San Sai Ngam, San Sai Ngam Subdistrict, and Thoeng District.
Pol Lt Col Peerapat Kosa, the acting Thoeng Police Superintendent, organized suppression and investigation teams and proceeded to the area where they found a pickup stationary on a village road in Moo 2. The 64-year-old driver, Mr. Warasin, disclosed his identity to the police.
Chiang Rai: Man Shoots at Neighbour with M16 Rifle
An unknown caliber of bullets completely destroyed the car. Mr. Warasin (the victim) in a first interview told that he was collecting bundled rice near the pond when suddenly he heard a series of gunshots.
A certain Thai man, whose name he could not disclose at the moment, showed up, aimed a gun at him, and shot. One bullet hit the ground approximately 50 to 100 centimeters away from him. He rushed into his vehicle to escape but was followed by the man on a motorbike.
He was about 100 to 200 meters from the field when he stopped and wanted to run over the assailant but the car just wouldn’t reverse. His phone fell on the floor, and when he was leaning down to pick it up, three more bullets struck the vehicle.
The bullet hardly missed hitting him. He thinks that the instant he did not duck would have been the precise instant when his skull was penetrated. After regaining his confidence, he walked towards the road, took a right turn to San Sai Ngam, and after a while parked close to a mini-market which was a place of blessing and had people and cameras, so he relied on the fact that the witnesses and the video would leg him be protected.
Chiang Rai Man Opens Fire on Neighbour With M16 Rifle
He remained there for approximately thirty minutes. A car drove past carrying the alleged perpetrator, and he identified him as a nearby resident with whom he had a dispute long ago. The witness stated that the man seemed to be surveying the neighborhood and would possibly have fired a second shot had the people not frightened him away.
Mr. Warasin identified the suspect as Mr. Khem, a distant relative of his. They had a quarrel long ago with a cockfighting dispute as the reason and Mr. Khem lost. Just last year, the same man was said to have shot a gun into the air and threatened him.
Days 4 to 5 preceding the incident, the suspect made several driving trips around his house and seemed to look inside the house. After the shooting, law enforcement and the victim went back to the scene and retrieved 21 .223 Remington shell casings, which can come from an M16A1 or a long gun modified for 5.56 mm.
Having gathered up all the spent cartridges, photographing all surrounding crime scenes, the law enforcers of Thoeng Police Station proceeded with their inquiries.
The runway continues to include the suspect. The Superintendent of Police in Thoeng confirmed that the Officers from both the Thoeng Police Station and Provincial Special Operations in Chiang Rai are chasing the suspect armed with a weapon.
Subsequently, the detectives carried out a search warrant at the house of Mr. Khem, an individual aged 35, and his residence located in Thoeng District. Much to their astonishment, the sole discovery made was a pistol case that was empty of a gun. The supposed offender was not present and his father’s Honda sedan was also not there.The law enforcement trust that the vehicle in query might have been taken by the suspect for the run.
Thailand’s connection with guns is multifaceted and influenced by culture, historical events, and even very stringent regulations. According to estimates, there are about 10 to 15 firearms for every 100 individuals in the country, which is among the highest rates of Asia. In some remote provinces, people have guns as a part of their daily life in the community.
The regulation is the main concern of the law and not the open access. The implementation of the law has not been consistent over time and this along with the increase in gun violence has led to demands for reform.
In the year 2023, the legislators prepared a bill to impose stricter regulations. One of the suggestions was to introduce mental health tests and another was to allow a 180-day amnesty for guns without a registration.The plan was delayed because of the parliament’s dissolution. November 2025 saw no major gun law change, yet the topic remains open because of the 2023 mass shootings that triggered discussions.shootings that happened in 2023.
Gun ownership is legally permitted in Thailand only for Thai nationals who have reached the age of 20. Firearms are completely prohibited for foreign nationals, even if they are residents, tourists, or expatriates.
