Man Guns Down Truck With M16 Over Assault Allegation

A shooting erupted around 2:50 a.m. on July 24 in Muang Ubon Ratchathani district when police responded to reports of gunfire at a house in Kham Yai subdistrict. Officers discovered a gray Isuzu pickup truck, registered in Bueng Kan, had been sprayed with 5.56mm gunfire and crashed into a rice field behind the house. Four occupants were in the vehicle; three suffered injuries and were rushed to hospital, while one escaped unharmed. Police found ten spent 5.56mm cartridge casings near the kitchen area.

The homeowner identified the shooter as Phayut, 20, his son-in-law, who fled the scene. Officers tracked him to a friend's house in Si Sa Ket province and arrested him that evening. Under interrogation, Phayut confessed to all charges and revealed his motive: he believed one of the injured men, Vishnu, had attempted to rape his pregnant wife. According to his account, Vishnu had previously contacted his wife offering 150,000 baht in damages and trying to recover a pickup truck valued at 45,000 baht that Phayut had seized. Phayut said he set a trap, luring Vishnu to his wife's house, then ambushed the arriving truck with an M16 and two magazines containing about 40 rounds, firing until the vehicle crashed before abandoning the weapon and fleeing.

Police charged Phayut with premeditated attempted murder. A background check revealed disturbing prior convictions: a murder case and firearms violation in 2567 at Khueang Nai Police Station, another firearms violation in 2567 at Muang Ubon Ratchathani Police Station, and he was currently out on bail pending appeal of a separate intentional murder conviction when he committed this attack.