CHIANG RAI – A feud between neighbours turned violent yesterday when a man with an M16 rifle fired about 20 rounds at a 64-year-old man fleeing in his pickup truck. A long‑standing dispute is believed to be the motive.
On Friday, police responded to reports of a man using a military‑style rifle shooting at a neighbour in a paddy field near Ban Nong Samakkhi, Moo 5, San Sai Ngam Subdistrict, Thoeng District, Chiang Rai.
The victim drove for about 4 to 5 kilometres to escape, swerving into a busy community shop area to seek help. Investigators have identified the suspect, who remains at large. Police are pursuing an arrest warrant and tracking him.
The incident began on Friday at 4.24 p.m. Pol Lt Col Chian Kanjaiya, investigator at Thoeng Police Station, received a report of a fight involving gunfire that left a vehicle badly damaged. Officers went to the scene near the 7 km marker in Ban San Sai Ngam, San Sai Ngam Subdistrict, Thoeng District.
Pol Lt Col Peerapat Kosa, acting Thoeng Police Superintendent, led suppression and investigation teams to the area where they found a pickup stopped on a village road in Moo 2. The driver, Mr. Warasin, 64, identified himself to the police.
The vehicle was riddled with bullet holes from an unknown caliber, causing significant damage. In an initial interview, Mr. Warasin (the victim) said he had been gathering bundled rice by a pond when he heard a string of gunshots.
A Thai man he could not name at the time, appeared, pointed a rifle in his direction, and opened fire. One round struck the ground about 50 to 100 centimetres from his feet. He scrambled into his truck to flee, but the man chased him on a motorcycle.
About 100 to 200 metres from the field, he stopped, planning to reverse into the attacker, but the car would not go into reverse. His phone slipped onto the floor, and as he bent down to grab it, three more shots hit the car.
A bullet grazed past his head. He believes he would have been shot in the head if he had not ducked. He gathered himself, drove to the paved road, turned right toward San Sai Ngam, and stopped in front of a convenience shop where there were people and CCTV cameras, hoping witnesses and footage would protect him.
He waited about 30 minutes. The suspect, whom he recognised as a neighbour he had clashed with years ago, drove past in a sedan. He said he seemed to be checking the scene and may have intended to shoot again, but the crowd deterred him.
According to Mr. Warasin, the suspect was Mr. Khem, a distant relative. They fought years back over a cockfighting dispute, and Mr. Khem lost the fight. Last year, the same man allegedly fired a handgun into the air and threatened him.
Four to five days before the shooting, the suspect drove repeatedly around his house and appeared to peer inside. After the attack, police and the victim returned to the field and collected 21 spent 5.56 mm casings, the type used in an M16A1 or a modified long gun.
They collected the casings, photographed the scene, and returned to Thoeng Police Station to continue the investigation.
The suspect remains on the run. The Thoeng Police Superintendent said officers from Thoeng Police Station and Provincial Special Operations, Chiang Rai, are hunting the armed suspect.
Investigators later executed a warrant at the home of Mr. Khem, 35, in Thoeng District. They found only a pistol case. The suspect was not there, and his father’s Honda sedan was also missing. Police believe the car may be the getaway vehicle.
Thailand’s ties to firearms are complicated, shaped by tradition, history, and strict laws. Estimates suggest 10 to 15 guns per 100 people, among the highest rates in Asia. Ownership is common in many rural provinces, where guns are often part of local life.
The law focuses on regulation, not open access. Enforcement has varied over time, which has fed calls for reform as gun violence has increased.
In 2023, lawmakers drafted a bill to tighten controls. Proposals included mental health screening and a 180‑day amnesty for unregistered firearms. The plan stalled when parliament dissolved. As of November 2025, no major changes have been passed, although debate continues after the 2023 mass shootings.
Only Thai citizens aged 20 or older may legally own a gun. Foreign nationals, including residents, tourists, and expatriates, cannot own or possess firearms in Thailand.
