Lampang – A retired teacher shot his brother-in-law, a former police officer, to death over a missing 50-satang gold ring. They had a violent argument, with the suspect suspecting the deceased had taken the ring.
At 13:00 on 4 May 2026, Police Lieutenant Kanthawee Meetham, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Ko Kha Police Station in Lampang province, received a report of a fatal shooting at a hut in a garden behind the village of Sop Pung, Tha Pha subdistrict, Ko Kha district, Lampang. He promptly went to the scene with investigators, doctors from Ko Kha Hospital, forensic officers from Lampang, and local rescue units.
At the scene, the body of Mr. Weerachai Kaewmalai, 76, a former police officer residing at house number 91, Village No. 3, Tha Pha subdistrict, Ko Kha district, Lampang, was found. He had been shot with a .38 caliber firearm above his left eyebrow, the bullet passing through to the back of his head. He lay dead in a pool of blood. Nearby, four cartridge casings were found and collected as evidence. The body was taken to the Lampang Hospital forensic department for a detailed autopsy.
The suspect, Mr. Nopadol Nopthasaporn, 76, residing at the same address as the deceased, is a retired government teacher and the deceased's brother-in-law. After the incident, he surrendered to Ko Kha Police Station along with the firearm used.
Preliminary investigation revealed that on the morning before, the suspect and the deceased had a heated argument over the suspect’s valuables kept at the house in Sop Pung village, including a 50-satang gold ring and a watch. Later, the suspect discovered that the gold ring was missing, while the watch remained. He suspected the deceased, since only the two of them were present, but the deceased denied taking it. This led to a serious quarrel, after which the suspect asked the deceased to leave the house. The deceased then stayed at the hut from the previous night. At the time of the shooting, the suspect went to that hut and shot the deceased, causing his death.
The true cause remains under further investigation.