Welcomed to Phuket with gunshot threats
Police have charged a man for intimidating a new resident behind the Tha Reua Shrine by confronting him and firing a handgun and a pump-action shotgun into the air reportedly a total of 30 times.
The new resident, Wisa Choo-in, 45, from Phatthalung, reported to Thalang Police on Jan 18 that he was in front of a
small house on his lot, in Soi Hua Tha, Moo 3, Srisoonthorn, talking with his new neighbours during the previous night (Jan 17) when a man walked up to the group at about 8:30pm.
He had never seen the man before, Mr Wisa told Thalang Police Station Chief Col Pisit Chuenphet and Deputy Chief Lt Col Krishna Channit.
The man was carrying a handgun and
a pump-action shotgun, Mr Wisa said.
“He walked straight up to me and said to me that he is never afraid of any
one, not the village headman [Phu Yai Baan], the Subdistrict Chief [Kamnan] or anyone else,” Mr Wisa said.
The man stopped just over metre in front of Mr Wisa.
“He then started firing his guns into the air,” Mr Wisa said.
“He fired about 30 shots to threaten me… I was scared to death because he nearly shot my face,” he said. @thephuketnews
Police inspected the scene and recov
ered 11mm bullet casings and several shotgun cartridges.
Mr Wisa explained that he had recently bought the one-rai plot for B5 million and moved to the site about three
months ago. He had recently had a brick
wall built around the plot’s boundary.
Of note, on the brick wall beside the entrance to the property is a sign announcing that the land is already for sale.
Mr Wisa filed his formal complaint with the Thalang Police at about 10am on Jan 18.
“I was extremely shocked and fright
ened. I didn’t think that a tourist town like Phuket would have such a barbaric influence,” he said.
By 1pm that same day, police reported
that the man, who they named only as “Mr Yut”, had surrendered to Thalang Police for the incident.
Mr Yut was explained as the caretaker
of the area behind the shrine.
No other details about Mr Yut were provided.
Police have yet to give any explanation
as to why Mr Yut threatened Mr Wisa.
Police did confirm they were now conducting a criminal background check
on Mr Yut and checking whether he has permits for the guns used in the incident.