A gun range employee in Phuket accidentally discharged a firearm, with the bullet passing through a wooden wall and glass, striking a Chinese female tourist in the cheek and causing critical injuries. She was rushed to the hospital.
On 18 Mar 2016 at around 18:00, Lieutenant Colonel Kiattisak Saengmanee, Deputy Investigation Officer of Kathu Police Station in Phuket, received a report of a gunshot injury at a shooting range located opposite the Tiger Park, behind the "Full Stomach" barbecue pork restaurant in Kathu Subdistrict, Kathu District. The gun range staff had already taken the injured person to Vachira Phuket Hospital.
After receiving the report, he informed Police Colonel Chalermchai Hernsawat, Chief of Kathu Police Station, and proceeded to check the hospital. The injured was identified as Ms. Xiao Lili, 52, a Chinese female tourist. She had a large wound on the right cheek with a bullet lodged inside.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the injured Chinese tourist had arrived with a Chinese friend by taxi at about 17:20 to use the shooting range as usual, supervised by the staff. After shooting, the injured and her friend went outside to take pictures near the shooting lanes. Later, the taxi driver reported that the customer had been shot in the cheek, prompting immediate transport to the hospital.
At the scene, officials found that Mr. Patiharn Manosong, 28, a gun range employee, admitted that while near the staff room about 20 meters from the incident site, he took out his personal firearm for inspection but negligently forgot there was a bullet in the chamber. The gun discharged, with the bullet passing through a wooden wall and glass door before striking Ms. Xiao Lili in the face, causing her injury.
Initially, the police have detained the suspect for investigation and are prosecuting him on charges of negligence causing serious injury and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, proceeding with legal actions accordingly.