SURAT THANI – A tragic family conflict ended in a deadly shooting in Surat Thani province on Thursday afternoon. A 43-year-old woman allegedly shot and killed her former mother-in-law during a shocking daytime attack.
She also severely injured her former brother-in-law before fleeing the scene in a black pickup truck.
The violent incident unfolded in the Ban Na San district shortly after 1:30 p.m. Police officers quickly responded to frantic emergency calls reporting gunfire at a two-story residential home. Police investigators arrived to find a deeply disturbing crime scene.
Key Takeaways
- A 43-year-old woman fatally shot her ex-mother-in-law and injured her ex-brother-in-law.
- The violence erupted shortly after a meeting to cancel a durian orchard lease.
- Police officers intercepted the suspect fleeing with a .38 caliber handgun.
Authorities identified the deceased victim as 72-year-old Jaree Sukkit, who lived at the main property. Officers discovered her lifeless body in the dirt courtyard right in front of her home. She had suffered a single, fatal gunshot wound to her torso, and medical responders pronounced her dead.
Initial police investigations quickly revealed the tense events leading up to the shocking afternoon violence. Earlier that day, Thanyathon visited a relative’s house to sign some important legal paperwork. She needed to officially cancel a long-standing lease agreement for a local durian orchard business.
A Second Victim Found Nearby
About one kilometer away from the main house, police uncovered a second bloody crime scene. They found a white passenger car parked at a local palm courtyard with its trunk left open. Investigators noticed drops of fresh blood staining the grass underneath the abandoned vehicle.
Here, officers discovered 35-year-old Wachirawit Sukkit, who is the adult son of the deceased woman. He had sustained serious gunshot wounds to his stomach and both of his legs. Thankfully, he was still conscious, and paramedics immediately rushed him to Surat Thani Hospital for urgent care.
The suspected shooter was soon officially identified as 43-year-old Thanyathon Songsoem by local authorities. She is the former daughter-in-law of the deceased victim and had recently left the family. Relatives noted that she ended her relationship with Jaree’s eldest son just two months prior.
After the initial paperwork was successfully signed, Jaree briefly went to the family orchard. She simply wanted to help her former daughter-in-law prepare to move a large household refrigerator. However, the seemingly peaceful interaction soon turned into a horrific and deadly confrontation.
A Dispute Over a Durian Orchard Lease
Meanwhile, Wachirawit drove his white car to meet Thanyathon at the nearby palm courtyard. He had kindly agreed to help her remove the heavy side rails from her pickup truck. Suddenly, a heated confrontation broke out while they were working on the back of the truck.
Thanyathon allegedly pulled out a concealed handgun and opened fire directly at Wachirawit. A courageous bystander reportedly fired a warning shot into the air to stop the brutal attack. After the shooting, the suspect sped away in her black vehicle to escape the area.
Local police departments immediately coordinated a rapid regional response to catch the dangerous fleeing suspect. They quickly set up secure roadblocks and alerted all nearby highway patrol units about the truck. Officers successfully intercepted her vehicle at a busy security checkpoint in the Khiri Rat Nikhom district.
During the tense arrest, police officers confiscated a loaded .38 caliber handgun from the suspect. They have since taken her into official police custody for intense questioning about the violent crime. Investigators are now working diligently to determine the exact personal motive behind the fatal family shooting.
Authorities plan to pursue strict legal action against the suspect as the criminal investigation continues. The local community remains in deep shock over the sudden loss of life from this dispute. Family members are currently preparing funeral arrangements for the deceased grandmother as they await true justice.
