Two gamblers were killed and at least 10 others injured in a gun attack by a man who lost all of his money in a high-low dice game at a village in Kranuan district of Khon Kaen province early Sunday, police said.
Pol Lt Col Sorawit Sinna, the duty officer at Kranuan district police station, said the incident occurred at about 1am.
A team of police, a medical unit from the district hospital and rescuers of a local charity foundation rushed to the scene when reports came in of the attack.
They found the bodies of a woman, Sommai Faiphet, 45, and a man, Sawai Daengnok, 45. Ten other people were wounded. A large number of spent AK47 shells were scattered around the scene.
The wounded were given emergency treatment and taken to the district hospital.
Luan Faiphet, 64, the house owner who was wounded in the attack, told police she opened her house for a weekend high-low game which drew about 20 gamblers from within the village and nearby communities.
She said at one point a gambler identified only as Sam, from a nearby village, made an angry outburst after losing more than 10,000 baht in the game. After being calmed down by the game banker and other gamblers who gave him 300 baht and told him to go home, the man went away on his motorcycle.
About one hour after he left, Sam returned with an HK47 rifle and opened fire indiscriminately at the gamblers and other people in the house. He fled after the attack which lasted for about one minute, leaving behind his motorcycle.
The police took the other gamblers and the house owner into custody for further legal action.