The body of a "palm plantation worker" was found shot dead inside a pickup truck parked along the Southern Seaboard Road in Krabi Province. Police are urgently seeking leads to apprehend the suspect, who is believed to have known the victim.
At 10:00 a.m. on 29 Apr 2026 GMT+7, Police Lieutenant Thawatchai Chumphon, Deputy Inspector (Investigation) of Plai Phraya Police Station in Krabi Province, received a report from local residents about a person shot dead inside a pickup truck parked by the Southern Seaboard Road on the side heading into Krabi Province, near Village No. 8, Kiriwong Subdistrict, Plai Phraya District. Upon notification, he, along with Police Colonel Narong Laksanawimon, Chief of Plai Phraya Police Station, investigative teams from Plai Phraya Police, Krabi Provincial Police, Region 8 Police, forensic officers from Krabi, and a duty doctor from Plai Phraya Hospital, proceeded to the scene for inspection.
At the roadside scene, authorities found a gray Mitsubishi Triton half-cab pickup truck, license plate BJ 1763 Krabi, with its engine off, parked by the roadside. The truck bed contained a single bunch of palm fruit. On the driver's seat lay the deceased, Mr. Chalermchai Kwanbusabong, 49, from Kiriwong Subdistrict, Plai Phraya District, a palm plantation worker. He was slumped against the vehicle door, which had its window lowered. The windshield showed two bullet holes, and the front headlight had one bullet hole. About 10 meters away, a shotgun shell casing was found. The body bore shotgun wounds on the left chest and left armpit. The victim was estimated to have been dead for at least 10 hours, as the body had begun to stiffen. Inside the vehicle, two shotgun pellets of size 9 were found on the floor. All evidence was collected for investigation.
A witness near the scene reported that around midnight, they heard dogs barking loudly and unusually long near the location. Upon stepping outside to investigate, they saw a vehicle’s light by the roadside and noticed what appeared to be a headlamp flashlight. Shortly afterward, a single gunshot was heard. At the time, the witness was unsure if it was a shooting incident, assuming it could have been gunfire from people playing around the nearby palm plantation. The next morning, villagers saw the victim’s vehicle parked by the roadside and assumed the driver was resting. However, upon closer inspection, they discovered the shooting and promptly alerted the police.
Preliminary police investigations have not yet determined the exact motive, but officers believe the suspect was likely well acquainted with the victim. The vehicle was apparently parked so they could talk before the shooting occurred. It is suspected to be a personal conflict. Authorities plan to review the victim’s background to check for any behavioral issues that could have triggered the killing. They are also urgently reviewing closed-circuit camera footage to gather leads on the suspect and aim to apprehend the perpetrator promptly for prosecution.