BANGKOK – Police in Korat have reported that a fatal shooting took place at a government housing project for Nakhon Ratchasima Central Prison staff in Nai Mueang, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima.
A senior prison division director allegedly opened fire on his former partner, the prison’s head of nursing, and her new husband, a recently appointed prison officer. A gunfight broke out at the residence, leaving two people dead at the scene and the gunman dead by suicide. Three people died in total.
At about 20.00 yesterday, police from Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima station and volunteers from the Sawang Metta rescue unit responded to reports of gunfire at the staff housing in Nai Mueang, Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima.
Officers found a man shot dead in front of the house, with a 9 mm handgun on the ground nearby. He was identified as Mr Natthapong Kliangphibun.
Two others were found critically injured inside, a woman with multiple gunshot wounds and a man with a .38 handgun recovered at the scene. They were identified as Ms Trakun Phanchai and Mr Wichit Thongsing. Rescue teams performed CPR and rushed them to Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, where both later died.
Initial inquiries found all three were officials at Nakhon Ratchasima Central Prison. Police believe Mr Natthapong, a division director, shot Ms Trakun, his ex-wife and the prison’s head of nursing, and Mr Wichit, her new husband.
Witnesses reported a fierce argument before shots were exchanged inside the house between Mr Natthapong and Mr Wichit. Mr Natthapong appeared to suffer minor injuries, then walked outside and shot himself with the 9 mm pistol.
Police investigators suspect jealousy as the motive. Mr Natthapong was reportedly enraged that Ms Trakun had begun a relationship with Mr Wichit shortly after their separation.
Crimes of Passion and Jealousy in Thailand
Crimes of passion in Thailand often stem from jealousy or emotional distress. Infidelity, romantic betrayal, and domestic disputes sit at the core of many cases. These incidents tend to be impulsive, with stabbings or shootings more common than planned attacks. Many involve intimate partner violence and occur in private settings.
Thailand’s overall crime rate has stayed fairly steady, with only a 1.9% rise in reported cases from 2009 to recent years. Even so, jealousy-fuelled killings point to deeper social factors.
Traditional ideas about honour and machismo, along with limited mental health support, add pressure in volatile relationships. Globally, jealousy drives 82% of crimes of passion, and case reviews in Thailand show a similar trend.
Thai law does not offer a formal “crime of passion” defence, unlike some older European systems, such as France before 1975. Courts, however, may treat strong emotional provocation as a mitigating factor. That can reduce a charge from premeditated murder to manslaughter at sentencing.
Under the Thai Penal Code, premeditated murder can lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty. Impulsive killings without planning can result in 15 to 20 years in prison. Thailand’s Civil and Commercial Code, Section 1523, also lets a betrayed spouse sue a lover for damages. Awards can reach up to 5,000,000 THB, about 140,000 USD, offering a civil path to address infidelity without violence.
Recent Cases
Thailand has seen several high-profile incidents blending passion with gruesome elements, often amplified by the media due to cultural fascination with “beautiful Thai women” and male honour codes.
Phuket Bar Stabbing (October 2025): The grandson of a prominent Phattalung politician allegedly stabbed a 25-year-old man (his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend) multiple times in the neck and chest at a pub. The attack stemmed from a breakup three months prior; the suspect fled in a luxury BMW but was expected to surrender. Victim in serious condition; arrest warrant issued.
Jealous Contractor Stabbing (September 2025): A contractor fatally stabbed his young girlfriend in a fit of jealousy, per recent reports. Details are sparse, but it fits the pattern of impulsive blade attacks in relationships.
Pattaya Russian Official Killing (January 2025): A 42-year-old Russian municipal official was drugged and robbed to death by a transgender sex worker in Pattaya, though not purely jealousy-driven, it involved betrayal in a paid encounter.
Other patterns include cross-border jealousy (e.g., a Cambodian man stabbing his online “girlfriend” in 2024 after discovering her marriage) and family entanglements, like a 2024 case where a woman killed her daughter’s new husband out of possessive jealousy, sparking a shootout that injured police.
