“Madam Pat” was fatally shot by an assailant in Phatthalung. She was formerly well-off before working as a butcher’s assistant. Witnesses reported hearing voices before gunshots. Police are investigating a loan shark debt dispute as a motive.
The assailant used a 9mm firearm to ambush and shoot. Mrs. Pattama Maneesuwan, known as “Madam Pat,” aged 39, a butcher’s assistant at a fresh market and former loan shark owner, was killed. The incident occurred on the Krorp–Khuan Khiam Road, Village 2, Khuan Ton Bok, Pa Bon Subdistrict, Pa Bon District, Phatthalung Province, in the early morning hours of 9 Jan 2026.
Recently, investigators from Pa Bon Police Station, together with the Provincial Police Investigation Division of Phatthalung, revisited the crime scene to collect additional evidence, aiming to expand the investigation and track down the perpetrator.
According to local residents nearby, they heard three consecutive gunshots followed by a brief silence, then another shot. However, they could not confirm whether they heard the assailant’s vehicle. Some reported hearing a heated argument at the scene before the shooting, but it was unclear who was involved, and they did not expect it to escalate to gunfire.
Meanwhile, investigators have summoned the victim’s coworkers and family members for further questioning at Pa Bon Police Station, focusing on disputes over loan shark debts as a likely trigger for the crime.
However, police have not yet determined the number of assailants or the type of vehicle used for escape, as the crime scene is in a remote area with scattered houses, making evidence collection a meticulous process.
Authorities affirmed they will intensify efforts to investigate and apprehend the suspect promptly to resolve the case and restore public confidence in the community.
Regarding Madam Pat, investigations revealed she previously sold lottery tickets and operated multiple tiered loan shark schemes. Around 2024, her schemes collapsed, leaving her heavily in debt. Police believe this may have motivated the attack, despite her efforts to repay debts by selling assets like her pickup truck and local cattle she raised.