NONTHABURI: A young man was shot dead in his car by gunmen who forcibly pulled his girlfriend from the vehicle before killing him, outside a restaurant in Muang district in the early hours of Thursday.
Pattarachai Thadthiam, 27, died in a hail of bullets on Ratchaphruek Road in tambon Bang Krang around 1.30am, said Pol Lt Col Somchai Ornpakdi, deputy superintendent for investigation at Bang Srimuang.
He had 11 gunshot wounds. Spent 9mm and .38 super cartridges were found on the road. There were five bullet holes in the driver's side window.
His girlfriend Sasina Pengwichai, 22, told police that Pattarachai arrived in his car to meet her and a friend outside a restaurant. After they got in his car, a man she identified as "Benz" suddenly pulled open the front passenger door, dragged her out of the vehicle and opened fire at her boyfriend with a handgun.
On the driver’s side of the car, another man also fired shots at Pattarachai. Terrified, she and her friend fled to the restaurant. When the sound of gunfire subsided, she looked out and saw the two men fleeing in a black car with no licence plates.
She immediately called police, Thai media reported.
Ms Sasina told police she believed the shooting stemmed from an incident at a shopping mall in Bang Yai district of Nonthaburi in November last year, when Pattarachai was involved in a brawl. His rivals had threatened to kill him, Ms Sasina said.
The victim's father, Therdthai Thadthiam, 50, was called to the scene and told police that a group of men in 7-8 cars came to his motorcycle repair shop two months ago looking for his son.
They claimed Pattarachai had assaulted their friends and they wanted his son to go with them to clear up the dispute. They said if Pattarachai did not go with them, they would shoot him dead, according to Mr Therdthai. They later left as his son was not in the shop.
Thai media reported that police know the identities of those involved in the murder and are tracking down the suspects.