A high-profile real estate developer was shot dead at his Bangkok residence on Tuesday night by a former aide who then turned the gun on himself, police said.
Montri Sihanatkathakul, 78, was gunned down at his home on Soi Chan Kao 10, in the Thung Mahamek area of Sathon district, said Pol Lt Mongkol Paisoon, a duty officer at Thung Mahamek police station, who was alerted around 7.15pm on Tuesday.
Mr Montri was the elder brother of Jatuporn Sihanatkathakul, owner of the Landmark Hotel in Bangkok, and had held shares in several real estate firms. He was found dead in front of his home office, bullet wounds to his right eye and back.
Next to the room, the body of a man, identified later as Prasarn Porduang, 68, was found dead in a storeroom with a gunshot wound to the temple. A 11mm handgun was found in Prasarn's right hand. Three 11mm cartridges and one spent casing were discovered near his body, said police.
A Toyota car carrying a Bangkok license plate that Prasarn reportedly drove to the house was parked in front. Inside police found a handwritten farewell letter venting frustration with the developer over a debt problem, Thai media reported today.
In the letter, the man had accused his former boss of allegedly cheating him. He had got angry that Montri had given cheques that bounced, said police.
Paisit Khemrak, 58, Montri's driver and house caretaker, told police his boss had been shot dead by Prasarn, who later used the same gun to kill himself. Police were investigating.
In the letter, Prasarn had also mentioned several people who allegedly had been cheated by the businessman.
Thairath Online reported that national police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said the two men had dined at Landmark around 6pm Tuesday.