1-2-2024 (BANGKOK) Tragedy struck early Wednesday morning at a traffic light intersection in North Pattaya, where a shooting incident claimed the life of Mr. Panya Khayanngan, 39, an entertainment establishment guard in Pattaya. Mr. Panya was shot multiple times while waiting at the traffic light and despite being rushed to the hospital, he succumbed to his injuries shortly afterward.
The incident unfolded around 6:16 AM on January 31st at an intersection in North Pattaya, Naklua sub-district, Banglamung district, Chonburi province. Pattaya police and rescue personnel arrived at the scene to find Mr. Panya’s overturned motorcycle and his body pierced with bullet wounds.
At the scene, authorities recovered four 9 mm bullet casings and one bullet, evidence of the harrowing encounter. An eyewitness, identified only as Mr. Teoy, recounted seeing the assailant approach Mr. Panya while he was stationary at the traffic light, firing shots before swiftly fleeing the scene.
The victim’s wife, Ms. Malinee Khayanngan, 34, arrived at the scene distraught, disclosing that her husband had been embroiled in ongoing disputes with a neighbor. These disputes reportedly escalated to a physical altercation and threats involving firearms just two days prior to the fatal incident.
The suspect, identified as Mr. Prawet Chanthong, 31, has been pinpointed in connection with the shooting. A police contingent surrounded Mr. Prawet’s residence in Naklua this morning, yet the suspect had already absconded.
Mrs. Kanya, Mr. Prawet’s mother, informed authorities that her son, a Grab food delivery rider, had engaged in a heated conflict with the victim days before the shooting. This confrontation allegedly led to Mr. Prawet being assaulted by Mr. Panya and his associates, with the victim’s pet pit bull reportedly exacerbating the altercation through a purported bite.
The precise catalyst for the dispute remains murky, but it tragically culminated in the fatal shooting. Mrs. Kanya expressed her earnest desire for her son to surrender and face legal ramifications for his actions.
Police investigations unveiled that the victim and suspect were once close friends and neighbours. However, their relationship deteriorated in recent months, escalating into physical altercations mere days before the fatal encounter.
