KANCHANBURI – A violent fight between a husband and wife in a rented room on Soi Khao Tong Pattana ended in a murder-suicide. The husband shot his wife in the head, then turned the same gun on himself as their 26-year-old daughter tried to flee.
Police from Mueang Kanchanaburi station received a call about two fatalities on Saturday. The incident took place in a single-storey rental, address 76/15, Soi Khao Tong Pattana 4, Moo 9, Pak Phraek, Mueang District. Investigators, a hospital physician, and forensic officers attended the scene.
Inside, officers found a man and a woman lying on their backs in blood, both dead at the scene. A homemade break-action .22 calibre handgun was recovered, along with two spent casings and two live rounds. Both the husband and the wife had gunshot wounds to the right temple.
The deceased were identified as Mr. Jo Au, 58, and Ms. Mie, 52, a married couple from Myanmar. They worked as rubber tappers in Sangkhla Buri District and had returned to the rental that morning.
Their daughter, Ms. Neci, 26, told police she heard her parents arguing loudly. While she was in the bathroom, she heard a single gunshot. She rushed out and saw her mother had been shot, and her father was still holding the gun aimed toward her.
She ran to hide in a bedroom. Moments later, she heard another shot. When she came out, her father had taken his own life.
Police suspect jealousy was the motive, as the husband, who had a violent temper and disliked his wife talking to other men, led to the tragic attack. Officers will interview more witnesses and review evidence to confirm the motive.
Earlier this month, a 61-year-old contractor named Sombat stabbed his girlfriend, Pochana, a 25-year-old nurse, during a fight in a truck. The dispute centred on his jealousy and their 36-year age gap. He told his employer what happened, then tried to take his own life.
In February, a jealous ex-husband set a rival on fire in a temple car park. The victim later died. The attack grew out of anger and resentment after a divorce.
Jealousy-fuelled violence, especially within romantic relationships, remains a serious issue in Thailand. It often appears as domestic abuse, stabbings, shootings, or even murders.
Many cases involve men reacting to suspected cheating or emotional distance. Cultural pressure around relationships, alcohol misuse, and money stress in rural areas adds fuel to the fire. Thai law sets harsh penalties for murder, including life in prison or the death penalty.
Even so, new cases keep surfacing, which points to gaps in mental health support and basic skills for peaceful conflict.
These crimes show how gender-based violence in Thailand is tied to jealousy, machismo, and limited emotional support. Reducing harm requires better mental health care, stronger awareness of healthy relationships, and real help for couples in crisis.
