Three students were shot dead and their motorcycle set on fire after a crash involving a BMW in Krabi province in the early hours of Tuesday.

A 42-year-old man was later arrested at a car tyre shop in Khao Phanom.

A black BMW was found parked in the shophouse garage. The windscreen was shattered.

Earlier on Tuesday, a rescue foundation was informed of a multiple fatal shooting in Khao Phanom district about 1.29am.

Police and rescue workers were rushed to the scene. They found three teenage students, a boy and two girls, lying dead in the roadside grass with gunshot wounds. A burned motorcycle was on the road.

All three were 18 years old. The boy was shot in the face and the two schoolgirls were shot in the back. 

Police inquiries led to a shop in tambon Phru Tiew around 7.20am. 

Police called out for the shophouse owner, identified later as Theerasak Boonruang, 42, to come out and talk to them. There was no response.

About one hour later, Mr Theerasak partly opened the door. When police ran to arrest him, he fled towards a side door, carrying a handgun. After seeing his father standing near police, he dropped his gun to the ground. He was then taken into custody.

There was a shotgun in the house and many bullets were found on the floors, which were riddled with bullet holes.

Police said that during questioning, Mr Theerasak gave conflicting statements.

He allegedly admitted he took two methamphetamine pills on Monday night and drove the car from his wife’s house back to his shophouse, alone.

On the way, his car was involved in an accident with a motorcycle. He got out of the car and used a shotgun to fire shots at the three people on the bike. He said he did not know them.

He denied he set fire to the motorbike, which he said caught fire in the crash. 

People driving along the road later saw the motorcycle burning and stopped to check. They found the dead students on the roadside.