In a shocking incident, the leader of a famous band in Nakhon Ratchasima was shot in the mouth and died on the street. Police suspect he knew the attacker well and are focusing on a conflict motive. Suspects are currently being questioned.
At 04:47 on 18 Jan 2026, Huk 31 Prisuthotho Rescue Team from Dan Khun Thot district and police from Dan Khun Thot Station received a report of a fatal shooting on Dan Khun Thot-Theparak Road near the entrance to Ban Nong Pluang, Phanchana subdistrict, Dan Khun Thot district, Nakhon Ratchasima. They promptly responded to investigate.
At the scene, they found the body of Mr. Pichet Chaengkhuntod, 47, leader and drummer of the well-known band “Raikaj Band,” a prominent group in Dan Khun Thot district, Nakhon Ratchasima. He was lying on his back on the road wearing black pants and a black T-shirt, with a gunshot wound from a 12-gauge shotgun at the back of his head, bleeding heavily. Two 12-gauge shotgun shells were found nearby. Close to the body was a black Mitsubishi Triton pickup truck registered in Nakhon Ratchasima, parked on the roadside with the engine running and hazard lights on. The victim’s mobile phone was on the front passenger seat, and 3-4 musical instruments were in the truck bed.
During questioning, Mrs. Nucharee Bonkhuntod, 37, the victim’s wife who came to view the body, told police that her husband usually played music at several restaurants in Dan Khun Thot district from evening until returning home around 2 to 3 a.m. every day. On the night of the incident, he had not returned by 4 a.m., and calls to him went unanswered. Relatives then called to inform her that her husband had been shot dead, prompting her to rush to the scene. Previously, her husband had mentioned a conflict with another band over accusations that he had taken their gigs. He never spoke of any other disputes.
Later, forensic police from Provincial Police Region 3 arrived at the scene to collect evidence and fingerprints to support the case investigation.
After the incident, Police Colonel Patthanakorn Sungnart, Chief of Dan Khun Thot Police Station, ordered the investigation team to urgently gather intelligence and leads to apprehend the gunman quickly, emphasizing the case’s seriousness and the perpetrator’s disregard for the law. Police are considering motives related to professional rivalry and direct conflict. They believe there may be more than one assailant who likely knew the victim, as the victim’s vehicle had been parked on the shoulder with the engine running and hazard lights on as a traffic signal. The assailants probably approached to negotiate with Mr. Pichet but failed to reach an agreement, then drew a gun to threaten him. The victim tried to flee but was chased down and shot through the mouth into the back of the head, dying gruesomely on the road.
Most recently, at 08:45 on 18 Jan 2026, the Dan Khun Thot police investigation team brought in two suspects, a man and a woman, believed to be involved in the case, for intense interrogation in the investigation room. Questioning is ongoing, and updates will be provided as the situation develops.