In Surat Thani, a 43-year-old woman shot her former mother-in-law dead and injured her brother-in-law before fleeing in a pickup truck. Police intercepted and apprehended her, detaining her for intensive questioning to uncover the true cause and proceed with legal action.
At 13:36 on 19 Sep 2016, Police Lieutenant Colonel Phattharapong Petchmeekaeo, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Ban Na San Police Station, received a report of a shooting resulting in death and injury at a house in Thung Tao Mai Subdistrict, Ban Na San District, Surat Thani Province. He informed his superiors and coordinated with Police Colonel Worawit Charoensupphon, Chief of Ban Na San Police Station, forensic officers from Division 8, and Kuson Sattha Surat Thani rescue team to investigate.
The scene was a two-story house made partly of wood and concrete. On the dirt yard in front of the house, a female victim was found dead. She was later identified as Mrs. Jaree Sukkij, 72, with a single gunshot wound to her torso.
One kilometer away, at a palm yard, a white sedan was parked with the trunk open. Blood drops were found on the grass. An injured male was located, identified as Mr. Wachirawit Sukkij, 35, Mrs. Jaree’s son. He had gunshot wounds to his abdomen and both legs but was conscious. Emergency medical services transported him to Surat Thani Hospital.
The perpetrator was later identified as Ms. Thanyathorn Songserm, 43, a former daughter-in-law who had been involved with the deceased’s eldest son and separated about two months ago. After the shooting, she fled in a black Toyota pickup truck carrying a refrigerator in the bed, with an unknown license plate. Ban Na San Police ordered a vehicle blockade and coordinated with nearby areas, eventually intercepting her at the checkpoint at the entrance of Village 1, Tham Singkhon Subdistrict, Khiri Rat District, Surat Thani, along with a .38 caliber handgun.
Initial investigation revealed that before the incident, Ms. Thanyathorn, who had separated from Mr. Theerasak, the deceased’s eldest son, came to sign documents canceling a durian orchard lease at a relative’s house of the deceased. The deceased’s relatives called Mrs. Jaree to bring the contract documents. After signing, Mrs. Jaree drove to the orchard to have workers prepare to lift the refrigerator for the former daughter-in-law and then returned home.
Later, Mr. Wachirawit, the injured, drove his sedan to the palm yard after arranging with Ms. Thanyathorn to remove the pickup truck’s cargo rack. Once the rack was removed, Ms. Thanyathorn pulled out a gun and shot. The palm yard owner fired in self-defense before Ms. Thanyathorn fled in the pickup truck carrying the refrigerator. Police later intercepted and arrested her.
Mrs. Juree revealed that before the incident, she had arranged with Ms. Thanyathorn to sign the document canceling the durian orchard lease, and there was no sign of trouble. She expressed deep sorrow, saying she had been the one to follow up with Mrs. Jaree about the former daughter-in-law bringing the documents. She noted that the former daughter-in-law had separated about two months earlier but did not know the motive for the shooting.
Authorities will continue investigating to determine the exact cause of death and proceed with legal measures accordingly.