HAIL OF FATAL GUNFIRE; IMPERSONATOR COPS; FB LOVE SOURS

A village headman in Nonthaburi shot a rival for his ex-wife's love to death in a hail of gunfire as the hapless victim sat in his car.

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Bang Bua Thong police nabbed Anon Phromket, 40, a village head from Ongkharak district in Nakhon Nayok, after he shot Plathip Phermthanakij, 33, six times as he sat in his white pickup on Bang Phai-Nong Phrao Ngai Road.

Police found the victim shot and slumped over in the driver's seat. Initial investigations revealed three wounds to his left arm and three to the chest. Bullet holes were found on the right side of the driver's window.

Inside his trouser pocket, police found over 5,000 baht in cash and a .22 calibre King Cobra firearm loaded with two bullets, which shows he came prepared for an encounter with the man who was to kill him, but was not able to defend himself in time.

The shooting occurred near a fresh pork shop in soi Wat Lat Pladuk run by the woman the victim had been seeking, “A”, who is also the killer's ex-wife.

Police say A asked to end her marriage with Mr Anon late last year. While Mr Anon kept living at her house where he helped raise their two children, he grew jealous of Plathip, who his wife had started seeing.

Mr Anon had previously arranged to confront Plathip at the shop, which escalated into a fight. During that incident, Mr Anon attempted to retrieve his gun, but his wife intervened.

Mr Anon then threatened Plathip, saying, “Don’t let me see you; I will shoot you for sure”.

Later, Mr Anon began to secretly observe the area around the shop before calling the victim to the area when he shot him.

A witness, “B” (pseudonym), 47, a gas station employee who heard the gunshots, said he saw the suspect putting his gun in his trousers pocket before getting into a dark-coloured four-door pickup truck parked behind the victim's vehicle.

Prior to the incident, he had seen the white pickup parked in front of the gas station, but did not hear any arguments or shouting.