PHUKET: A South Korean national and a maid were wounded in a gun attack by a housekeeper of a spa parlour run by the Korean’s daughter in Muang district of this island province on Tuesday morning. The gunman was later found dead in a park with a gunshot wound following a police hunt.
The gun attack occurred at the Beauty Spa in tambon Vichit of Muang district at around 10.30am, said Pol Capt Rattanachai Siangsanoh, investigation chief at Vichit police station,
Kwanghee Kim, 74, a South Korean national, and Ms Somsri Chueahonghua, 56, a maid at the spa parlour, were found injured inside the spa.
Mr Kwanghee, father of spa parlour owner Ms Eun Mikim, sustained a gunshot wound to his chest, while Ms Somsri was shot in her right shoulder and right cheek. They were rushed to Vachira Hospital.
A police investigation found that the gunman was the housekeeper of the parlour.
The suspect entered the venue shortly after the parlour opened at around 10am when six customers were being served. The gunman opened fire at the owner’s father, who was repairing a spa bed in a room. He also shot Ms Somsri, who was cleaning the next room, before fleeing.
Police examined footage of a closed-circuit television camera and found the gunman was the housekeeper of the venue. A manhunt was launched for the suspect.
In the evening of the same day, the gunman, identified later as Chana Rodkate, 53, a native of Songkhla, was found dead at the Saphan Hin recreational park in Muang district of this island province with a gunshot wound. Police cordoned off the area for an investigation and said preliminary evidence suggested he might have killed himself.
The motive of the shooting at the spa was not yet known.
The body of a gunman who allegedly opened fired in a spa parlour run by a South Korean woman, is found dead with gunshot wounds. The man reportedly shot himself dead after carrying out a gun attack on the spa parlour in which two people were wounded. (Photo by Achadtaya Chuenniran)